When the Necromancer Came to Town
by magikarp27
Summary: New girl Angela has a different tactic for bringing back the Harvest King, and it has nothing to do with farming. Angela/AkarixWizard/Gale.
1. Chapter 1

**When the Necromancer Came to Town**

**Series:** Harvest Moon: Animal Parade

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harvest Moon. Does everyone know what a necromancer is?

_Well, it will have to do_. Angela summed up the old abandoned farm, took in the peeling paint and the holes in the roof. Weeds sprouted here, there, everywhere. But she wasn't on Castanet Island to actually farm. When she spotted the flyer advertising a farm for sale lying in the street on an island across the ocean, and when she determined that this was the place where the Harvest King's spirit lay hidden, Angela knew this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

"Well," beamed Hamilton. "What do you think?"

"It's adequate. I'll take it."

"Oh, that's great," Hamilton couldn't help but feel a little put off by this young woman's presence. "Then it's yours. When you're ready, drop off a payment of 5,000G at the Town Hall."

"Will do." She was skimming through a leather-bound volume with fervor.

"Um, you _will _be farming here, right? It would really do wonders for the island's economy, though the soil isn't what it used to be..."

"Don't worry. I'll work hard." With a thud she closed the thick book, staring off at the mountains of the Garmon Mines district. "Plant some tomatoes, and some..." _Damn, what else grows out of the ground? _Angela had anything but a green thumb. "And some...lemons?" She loved lemons. Just didn't know where they came from.

"Right," Hamilton turned to leave. "If you need anything, come find me at my home or office, or you could try asking the other residents." _Please ask the other residences_. The girl was a strange one, to say the least. As a farmer, it made no sense why she needed so many books and powders in unmarked glass bottles. And what on earth was a _Necronomicon_?

"Thanks again," Angela thought it best to execute a proper human farewell, and waved as the jolly mayor made his way carefully down the hill towards town. Grendel purred and rubbed against her ankles, her black fur glistening in the sunlight. "Looks like we're home Grendel. Let's skip out on meeting the neighbors for now, what do you say?"

"Sounds great," she pranced for the door, scratching at the termite ravaged piece of wood. "Hurry up, this sun is hell when you're covered in black."

"All right, all right," she pushed open the door and both entered, Angela with her heavy bags in tow.

Forgetting to hand over the small paperback book designed for beginners at farming, Hamilton watched the exchange between girl and cat from behind a bush. _Why was she talking to her cat? _To him, he only heard the muffled voice of Angela and the droning sound of a cat's annoyed meow. He decided to give her the little welcome present some other time.

"You were staring at the mountains to the north. What did you feel?" Grendel paced around the small one-bedroom house, poking her nose into crevices and creeping behind dusty furniture. At the end of the day, Grendel was still as much a feline as any other house cat.

"I don't know what I felt." Angela began placing jars and vials of salts in the kitchen cupboards. "But it was something."

Grendel batted a dust bunny around as she sat in the sunlight leaking through the room's only window. "Something is better than nothing."

"Yeah but this is a big something. Resurrecting the Harvest King is a big, _big _job. I'm just one necromancer."

"But your will is strong. That may in fact be enough to summon a holy deity."

"Isn't this blasphemous? A necromancer summoning a God?"

"Whether or not necromancy is evil or good depends on the necromancer's intention."

"Somehow I doubt that's in the Goddess' scriptures." This would be her biggest task yet. For years she practiced on small jobs, such as summoning a dead squirrel, with success. She felt she had it down for the most part, but she hadn't the courage to try to bring a human, let alone a God, back from the dead. _Do I even have enough salts to put him down if he starts to change?_

"You have plenty of salts," Grendel chimed in, jumping onto the counter. "Would you feel better if we did some research on this Harvest King before you finally do it?"

Grateful, Angela nodded. "I would. I think it's time to meet the neighbors Grendel."

"Just try not to talk to me while we're doing this, hm?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, it was certainly nice meeting you Angela," Colleen smiled, her daughter Maya happily thrusting a plate of sugar cookies into her arms. She waved goodbye to the Inn owners. She had already met the bartender and his daughter, the tailors, and the good doctor and midwife. All that was left of this portion of the island was this Wizard everyone directed her to when she asked about the Harvest King.

"I hope this Wizard likes cookies."

"I told you not to speak to me!" Hissed Grendel, whipping her head from side to side to make sure no one heard her.

"Grendel, I get the feeling people around here think I'm weird, where's the harm in talking to you?"

"Because you're here under a ruse. What if these people found out that every plant you touch dies, Miss Farmer?"

"That's not true!"

"Might as well be..." Grendel remembers when Angela was young and tried to raise her own potted flowers. Though it had nothing to do with her _unique _abilities, she could never keep one alive longer than two weeks. Every time a plant was either under watered or over watered, or maybe she would forget to place it in a spot where plenty of sunlight spilled forward. Why she decided she would disguise herself as a farmer was beyond Grendel's comprehension.

"Here we are. Did you notice that giant telescope poking through the back windows?" she asked while she pounded against the door. "He may know some astral magic."

"Maybe. That could be helpful in your endeavors."

When no one answered, Angela pounded harder, and then harder still. Nothing.

"I guess no one's home." She turned to leave, heading up the hill towards the church.

"Have you ever been in a church, Angela?" Asked Grendel quietly.

"Nope, but I can't wait!" Grendel, on the other hand, could. She had no idea what to expect when a necromancer stepped into such a holy sanctuary. Angela was far from an demented demon worshipper, but her powers may complicate things.

She stopped in her tracks when they reached the foot of the immaculate building. In awe she gazed at the fine white masonry, the way the sun's position made the church appear as if it were glowing, and the stunning stained glass windows. "It's incredible."

"Yes, it truly is." The priest Perry couldn't help but notice the newcomer admiring the town's pride and joy, and immediately stepped out through the large wooden doors to greet her. "Are you the new farmer everyone is talking about?"

"Yes, I am. My name's Angela, and this is Grendel." She motioned toward the small black cat. "Oh, here you go." If she was going to eat anything, it had to have lemon as its main ingredient. She pushed the cookies into the priest's arms.

"Thank you very much. These look delicious." He smiled. Angela blushed; it felt nice to have genuine human interactions. It had been too long.

"I have a question, if you don't mind. What do you know about the Harvest King?"

"Why, he is our great creator. Without the bountiful gifts we receive from him and the Goddess we would not be alive today."

"Then why hasn't he risen?"

"Risen? What are you talking about?"

"You know," she made a motion with her hands, starting towards the ground until they reached her shoulders. "Risen."

He looked at her, skeptical. "The Harvest King is always watching over us from the heavens. He is always by our sides."

"What? No he isn't," she looked from her left to her right. "I don't see him at all."

"I mean in spirit. There isn't a human being worthy enough to actually witness the Harvest King in all his glory, none that I know of. Not even the Harvest Papal has had a vision."

"Oh, I see." She glanced down at Grendel who shot a quick look her way. "Well, thank you anyway. Take care."

"What's up with that priest? Saying that the Harvest King cannot appear to anyone." Curled up on her bed quilt, Angela faced Grendel who folded herself into a ball of black fur.

"What he said was that no _human being _could see the bodily form of the Harvest King."

"But I'm human."

"I guess you are technically, but you lack a certain handicap most humans have. You've been touched by other worldly beings."

"I don't know..."

"Don't be like that Angela," Grendel had crawled up to face Angela, who had flopped over on her back. "You know you're different."

"Yeah yeah," she rose to her feet and headed for the window, staring out. "Do you feel something Grendel?"

"Something? What's wrong?"

"There's someone out there!" Angela raced for the door and threw it open. The form began running away down the hill, and Angela gave chase until she was able to tackle the intruder.

"Who are you?" She shouted, use to people vandalizing her living quarters, where ever she may stay. And after many years of dealing with that simple fact, Angela was getting fed up.

"Get off of me!" The voice of a female rose from the ground.

"No! Why were you lurking around my house?"

The heaved and sighed under Angela until she finally caught her breath. "You're here to resurrect the Harvest King, aren't you?"

Angela was taken aback, and let up some of her weight on the struggling girl. "What of it?"

"I'm here to help!"

She was skeptical. "Oh yeah? How do you know why I moved here?"

"Because I performed a ritual to glimpse briefly into the future, to see if this island's plight would ever lift, and you showed up."

Somehow, Angela believed her. She carefully rose off the girl. "Who are you?"

She brushed the dust off her black clothing before she spoke. "I'm Vivi, most around here just refer to me as the Witch." She winked her orange eyes. "But I prefer the Witch Princess!"

"You're a witch?"

"Why yes I am. Do you mind if we continue this conversation inside? It's a little nippy out here."

She poured tea for Vivi, and lemonade for herself. Grendel was intensely interrogating the witch. "What is the current status for Castanet?"

"Not good," she shook her head, taking a swig of her tea. "_I _have a brilliant idea for bringing forth the Harvest King, but the _Wizard _doesn't think so."

"The Wizard?" Angela asked, intrigued. "I think he could be quite helpful."

"Why?" Vivi sounded offended. "He's nothing but a stargazer! I don't even think he can use any spells!"

"How do you know?"

"Well, he's never once gave a love potion to any of the girls on the island, despite their constant requests. All he does is look through his telescope or into his crystal ball, _pretending _he could see into the future. He's infuriating."

Maybe this guy wasn't all that. But the necromancer in Angela could not ignore the fact that her teachings told of the amazing power of astral magic, and how helpful it can be in bringing back the dead. "The three of us could be a powerful force."

"No, the two of us could be a powerful force. Listen, you're new in town, so take it from me. The Wizard is a fraud, a wannabe."

To this Angela had no response. She took a long drag on her icy lemonade. "Boy it's getting late."

Suddenly Vivi felt very awkward. "You're right, I should head back."

"Wait," Angela stopped her as she headed for the door. "Why were you sneaking around? You could have just knocked."

"I wanted to make sure you hadn't become chummy with that Wizard, and that he was in here with you."

_ At this hour? Why I never! _"You really don't like this guy do you?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I'll tell you about that. Someday."


	3. Chapter 3

The trek towards the Harvest Goddess spring was tougher than appearances suggested. Already streams of sweat rolled down Angela's face as they ascended the mountain. "Damn I'm outta shape."

"You truly are," Grendel seemed to be unfazed by the exercise.

"Easy for you to say, you have four legs."

"Don't blame me for your anatomy." At last the waterfall came into view, and Angela gratefully ran to its rocky shores, absorbing the bouncing droplets of water as they beaded her face. She never wanted to leave the water's cooling effects for the rest of her life.

"Come on," Grendel was growing impatient. "The Harvest Goddess spring isn't much further, once we cross that bridge."

Angela hadn't notice that when they approached the falls, and a gasp of horror crept from her gaping mouth. "I can't cross _that_!" The age of the wooden-planked bridge, suspended only by ropes as it hovered over the gorge of the falls' river, swaying unsteadily in the breeze, frightened Angela something fierce. "I'll be skewered by the rocks as soon at that piece of ancient landscaping collapses under my weight!"

"You're not that pudgy."

Her face reddened. "I'm not fat at all."

"Then come on," Grendel gave her a challenging glance before proceeding to the bridge, tail hung straight in the air. Gracefully, she stepped onto the bridge and began to cross.

"Wait!" Angela called, running over to the bridge's base and stopping in her tracks. She knew you never looked down when in high places, but her eyes felt compelled to trace the jagged surface of the water's shore, the height of the bridge disconcerting. Gulping audibly, she held onto one side of the rope railing, and slowly scooted sideways, as if crossing from one side of a cliff's edge to the other. If she could physically laugh, Grendel would have been rolling on the wooden surface in hysterics.

"What are you _doing _Angela?"

"Shut up. I'm crossing, aren't I?" Her hands shook, causing the rope to quiver.

"I suppose so. I'll see you on the other side," Grendel turned and picked up pace, running towards the other side.

_This has got to be the world's longest bridge_, she whined silently to herself. _Is this island even worth the effort? _She quickly pushed the negative thought away. When she was forced to become a necromancer, a blasphemous and frowned upon occupation, Angela swore to use her powers for good, unlike the necromancers of the past who resurrected the dead for blackmail or gaining unknown intelligence, which was usually used for bad deeds. Sometimes the summoned dead broke free from the necromancer's observation, and abandoning whatever personality or morals they maintained while alive wrecked havoc onto the world, usually seeking vengeance if they were murdered. Necromancers of yesteryear really painted a bad picture for the practice when sometimes good could come from the craft, as Angela believed then and now. While she was lost in her thoughts, her pace picked up and she was nearly halfway across the bridge when Grendel interrupted her reveries.

"Hey, almost there! You're doing great, oh Great Savior of Castanet!"

She stared over the edge, and almost threw up. At this point, the gorge below was at its deepest and most menacing. "Oh..." she felt light headed. _I can't faint, I'll fall right off_. Fighting her hardest, she squeezed her eyes closed, her brow furrowing, trying to stay conscious. Now Grendel was worried.

"Angela...are you all right?"

_Does it matter? It's not like you can walk up to someone and ask for help_.

"Hey there."

Angela whipped her head around and looked at where she started this seemingly hopeless endeavor. On the other side stood a man with tan skin and dark blue hair, mostly covered under a fire-printed bandana. _Am I seeing things now?_

"Take it easy," the stranger smiled reassuringly, slowly making his way to Angela. "I know this bridge is pretty jacked up from a recent typhoon. But for the time being it's sturdy enough to cross."

_For the time being? _Angela's face grew paler, and this showed in the man's yellow eyes. "Oh jeez, wrong words. I mean, it's totally safe! My pop said so, and he's the head carpenter here." By this time he was standing next to Angela, extending an arm. "Here, let me help you."

She greedily took his arm and let him guide her across, her eyes closed. Despite his rugged appearance he was really a kind and jubilant man, talking to Angela about anything but the bridge to help ease her frayed nerves. Before she knew it, she made it across to Grendel, who purred at their feet.

"Thank you," Angela's voice was raspy.

"No prob, that bridge really needs some repairing."

"So why hasn't anyone fixed it yet? I haven't witnessed any storms since moving here two days ago." Or the remnants of one, for that matter. How could the island's inhabitants be so irresponsible?

His face grew solemn. "Because this place has really gone downhill. The wood from the trees are crumbling as soon as we chop 'em down. And that's not the end of Castanet's issues."

"Really? I had no idea this plague reached the trees' quality of lumbar." She minutely glanced down at Grendel, who returned the look: _I heard_.

"Yeah," he shook his head. "Anyway, if you just moved here, then you must be the new rancher everyone can't stop talking about!"

"Yeah, I guess I am. I'm Angela," she extended her hand. His own seemed to swallow hers in his grip.

"I'm Luke! I'm an apprentice carpenter, along with Bo, who you'll probably meet soon enough. We work under my dad, Dale. If you ever need your house fixed up-and no offence, but you do-or need an upgrade on your barn or coop, we're the guys you're looking for!" His grin was wide as he fist-pumped the air. Angela couldn't contain a giggle, her previous anxiety forgotten.

"I'll keep that in mind." He walked her and Grendel to his shop's front before bidding them farewell. Angela had no idea that anyone had taken up residence on this mountain, but as she scanned her new surroundings it seemed many people had, and a plethora of different businesses lined the flat peak. A jeweler's, a blacksmith's and a general store, in addition to Luke's place of business and the open access to the Garmon Mines. It was a cozy little community, and she could imagine the peaceful nights away from the majority of Castanet's residents.

"Over here," called Grendel, standing on a nearby path covered in forest. "I feel something strong coming from this direction."

Angela jogged over, and both made their descent down the path until they reached a beautiful pool scattered with the remains of what might have been some sort of temple, probably in honor of the Goddess. On the other side stood a skinny, leafless tree, and beneath it sat the Goddess herself, her weak and frail body almost translucent, her bluish aura growing weak.

_This is the Goddess, and that path looked like it was hardly used. Does anyone even know she's back here suffering? _She swallowed; Angela had never met a deity of any kind, and suddenly she regretted wearing her beat up clothes and muddy boots to meet this beautiful being.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello Angela," she smiled, her face white as snow. "Grendel, hello to you too."

"You know my name? Of course you do. I wanted to tell you in person, my lady, that I shall save your tree and this island, I promise." Angela suddenly felt so self-conscious, as if here presence and intentions for being here were wrong, or maybe just her perspective? She was becoming very evident of her lessening of self confidence as her blood pressure rose. The Goddess took her hand.

"Please calm yourself my dear. Everything will work out for the best, I have faith."

"But why?" She was expecting the Goddess to be repulsed by her, and an onslaught of batteries of how what she and her people do or have done were wrong. Instead she simply saw a fragile woman whose own well-being was at stake yet only cared about those around her, not even an ounce for herself. Angela wanted to cry.

"Because your heart and intentions are pure, and you are determined to do whatever it takes to save this land. Anyone with that kind of determination can accomplish anything. You have my faith Angela. I promise you will do great things while here and where ever you shall go after."

"Thank you, your holiness." The formality caused the Goddess to grab her sides and laugh like a school girl. Angela was now even more confused.

"Please Angela, you don't have to be so formal. I know it's not in your nature, and that's just fine with me."

"I...um," feeling exposed, Angela didn't really know how to respond to that. She tried changing the subject. "So, where is the King's throne?"

"On the highest peak of the upper Garmon Mines. Just keep going up until you find the opening leading to the outside. But do not go now; prepare yourself. You'll need plenty of food and water, not to mention a hammer, and ample stamina. In addition, I don't want you to ascend just yet."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Just live on the island a little longer, for two more seasons at least," she held her hand up as Angela began to protest. "Trust me as I trust you. I will live for much longer than that, so don't fear. You may even come across some unlikely allies while doing so."

"Okay, how do I prepare to raise him?"

"You have the ability and the knowledge, you needn't prepare unless you absolutely want to. If so, then practicing on deceased animals like you've done in the past will suffice. Just live Angela, that's all I want you to do during this time period."

"Just...live?"

"My lady," Grendel stepped forward. "You're quite certain of this? Is there some sort of message or philosophy Angela will gain from the hiatus?"

"Grendel, that's up to Angela. I only want her to live, and whatever she gains from that, well that's fine. Interact with these people, learn more about them and their hardships. And above all else, enjoy yourself. It is now Spring 3rd; once it's Fall 3rd, return here and I will instruct you on how to proceed."

Angela's arm didn't need to be twisted too far; she _lived _ for breaks and vacations. She may have looked like a young girl whose eighteen or in her early twenties, but technically she wasn't, although she maintain much of the mentality commonly found in young people in this age group. "Thank you for speaking with us, my lady. I'll take your advice and live a while longer here."

"Thank you Angela," happiness spread across the Goddess' face. "That means a lot. I hate to be rude friends, but I'm feeling a little exhausted right now and would love to rest a while."

"Oh, of course! Thank you again." Angela bowed low and made her way towards civilization.


	5. Chapter 5

The note didn't sound urgent, but it definitely seemed that Vivi was excited about something.

"_Angela-_

_ Come by my house in the depths of Fugue Forest-have I got a surprise for you! This might solve all of our Harvest King problems._

_ XOXO,_

_ Vivi"_

"I wonder what this is all about..." thought Angela aloud. "Want to come with me Grendel?"

"I don't think so, Vivi seems like the kind of person to over exaggerate. " She stretched out in a sliver of sunlight under the windowsill and curled into a black ball.

Angela shrugged and made her way out the door. The morning sun feel reinvigorating against her skin, and she drank in the sweet elixir like a flower. A part of Vivi's letter stung Angela's ego: finding out a solution to summon the Harvest King when that was Angela's whole purpose in being on Castanet. But Grendel had a point-Vivi had a love for the dramatic.

_I wonder where I'll go next if this surprise of Vivi's works? _She hadn't been on Castanet long, so she hadn't made any personal connections to the land or the people (other than the Witch). The Harvest Goddess bestowed a great amount of faith in Angela's abilities, was that some kind of foreshadowing?

Before she knew it she made it to the heart of the Forest. The path to Vivi's certainly had some interesting mushrooms, and Angela picked them up as she went (_A small paycheck. After all, Grendel and I have to eat while we're here_.)

The Witch's house was a modest little shack, almost as run down as Angela's. This surprised her, as Vivi seemed the kind of person to flair extravagances, not allow her home to become festered with moss and dirt. _I guess she's pretty average, just like the rest of us._ Vivi must have seen Angela from a window and flung the door open, all smiles.

"There you are! Man, you're slower than molasses." She literally pulled Angela in, where they were greeted by a strange circular diagram drawn on the wooden floor, littered with odd, foreign symbols. Angela was a little put off by these things.

"What's up Vivi?" She couldn't take her eyes off the floor.

"I was up most of the night pouring over my old spell books," she waved her hand towards a few piles knee high of tattered books in the corner, "when I discovered a spell which leads me to believe that we can summon the Harvest King. Want to help?"

Angela was uneasy. "I don't think I can. I don't really know anything about magic outside of necromancy."

Vivi's faced flustered. "Oh come on! Don't be a wuss!"

She knelt down by the circle. Her nostrils were infiltrated by a bitter, metallic smell. _Blood_. She examined the symbols and archaic language. It was true that Angela was no expert when it came this type of magic, but she had skimmed over volumes covering the practice. Something about the way the symbols were placed gave Angela the heebiest of jeebies, but she couldn't place her finger on exactly why. Not to mention that it was drawn in blood; nothing that requires blood in magic ended well. "I'm not being a wuss, I'm being smart. I think you shouldn't do this Vivi." She stood to face the bewildered witch. Apparently hearing the word "no" was something that can set Vivi off. "The Harvest King would never want anyone to use something as barbaric as blood, even if it were to serve him. Let's clean this up and try to figure something else out."

A loud thunk as Vivi slammed her foot down caused Angela to jump. "I see what's going on! You're just upset that you didn't get to summon the Harvest King, that someone else beat you to it."

"Vivi, the only one upset here is you."

"Oh please, spare me! And you want to preach to me about barbarian tactics when _you're _a necromancer!"

She held her hands up. "I didn't mean to preach Vivi, please calm down." Angela was use to those who criticized her craft, but she didn't want Vivi to do something outrageous. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Now you're going to preach about using magic? Look little girl, I know I'm older than you-I was around when they invented ice cream-so I have more experience with magic. I don't need any lessons from a newbie such as yourself." She stomped over to her front door and held it open. "I'd like you to leave. Obviously it was a mistake inviting you here."

Stunned, Angela made her way out the door. When she turned to try to convince Vivi to reconsider, the door slammed shut in her face. _So much for that_. Though she was attacked by someone she thought of as a friend, she was still worried about the repercussions of such a move as this. Then again, Angela's specialty was in a darker realm of magic, not white magic. She may very well have been way off about her assumption. _I'll stop back in a few hours to check on her. _Turning away she soldiered her way back through Fugue Forest to home.

* * *

"I don't know," Grendel sat atop the shipping box, watching Angela as she tilled her plot of land. "It sounds a little off to me as well. Anyway, I've always told you to go with your gut, so I think you made the right choice."

"I hope so." Once she plowed enough spots, Angela began spreading turnip seeds. Shipping the mushrooms would give them a little pocket change, but they needed more to really live long on their own. She watered, and saw that a gathering of clouds towards the east of her farm. "That's weird. It was sunny moments ago."

"Mother nature's fickle. Let's get in before the rain starts."

"Good idea." Packing away her farming utensils, the two misfits of magic headed in for some milk and lemonade.

* * *

The raccoon and weasel that lived outside of Vivi's home began to move about frantically. The turtle refused to emerge from its shell. The wind picked up pace, and leaves and grass blew by rapidly. From inside the witch's house a soft sound of someone chanting could be heard, and a brilliant flash of light pulsated through the dingy windows. A cry suddenly rang out through the walls of the forest as a crash of thunder and lightning rang out.

* * *

A ray of early sunlight pried Angela's sleepy eyes open. She moaned, pulling up the blankets over her eyes. Usually a stickler for the old rule of early to bed early to rise, Grendel refused to move either. The terrible storm last night had kept them up; both girls hated thunderstorms. Around two in the morning the rain had finally ceased.

"Ohhh jeez..." The blood pounded in Angela's sleep-fogged head. "What a racket last night..."

"Mmmm," purred Grendel, still tightly packed into a black ball of fur at the foot of the bed.

Angela had planned to check up on Vivi, but despite herself she refused to leave the safe refuge of her quilt, and Grendel, who also took shelter under that same quilt, didn't press the issue. Though the roof didn't leak in the least bit, irrationality got the better of them.

Finally she dragged herself out of bed and dressed and washed up before heading out to Fugue Forest. This time Grendel begrudgingly joined her. Still tired, she rode on Angela's shoulders.

"Why do I have to come?"

"Because you're an expert at these kinds of things, and I may need your help." But when they arrived at Vivi's home, a lump developed in Angela's throat. Most of the once lush green grass surrounding her home had turned a dirty shade of yellow, and most of the shingles on Vivi's roof had blown away. The glass in all her windows were shattered, and an eerie silence overcame the entire forest.

"Oh my Goddess..." whispered Grendel in Angela's ear, taking in her surroundings. "Tell me it wasn't this bad when you described her home as 'sloppy'."

"No, not at all," her stomach cramped, and she was ashamed of herself at her cowardice for not coming last night to check on Vivi. She lunged for the door and threw it open to find her house in a worse state of disarray. Papers and books scattered the room, the vanity mirror was broken and all the cosmetics spilled out, and the bed was overturned. Her sickness worsened. "Vivi?" She called out. A disturbance came from behind a broken table. Debris covered the space between the table's legs, and Angela couldn't tell who-or what-might be lurking behind it. She swallowed and approached closer. "Vivi? Is that you? Are you all right?" _Thank Goddess the doctor recently returned from his trip aboard, this could be ugly_. Another sound, and then something leaped to the floor in front of Angela with the agility of a panther. She cried out and covered herself and Grendel against what could have been impending doom. However, after staying huddled together for a few minutes, they gathered the courage to look at what had jumped out before them. To their utter surprise, it was a large frog with pink skin and, somehow, rosy cheeks. On its head it wore a little black hat.

"What the..." Grendel craned her neck to get a good look at the amphibian.

"Seriously. What in the world is going on? And where is Vivi?"

"Angela," Grendel stepped closer to the animal, taking in its scent and appearance. "I...I think this might be Vivi."

Angela couldn't believe it. "Are you kidding me Grendel? Are you trying to say that Vivi turned herself into a _frog?"_

Grendel gave her an annoyed look. "Don't you think I know a thing or two about spells that turn people into animals? You said I was more of an expert than you, and you wanted my opinion did you not?"

"I...then what do we do to cure her?"

She examined what was left of the strange circle from the night before, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. "I used dark magic to change my form, but she used light. I'm very certain this is Vivi-and it has nothing to do with the black pointy hat-but I think the same methods used for reversing certain dark magic won't be helpful in this case."

"Again, what do we do?"

"Well, there is that Wizard in town..."

"I know she really despises that man, but I guess we have no other choice but to consult him." An alternative idea came to Angela. "Actually, I may have an even better idea.  
"What? Are you going to try to fix her?"

"Not me, the Harvest Goddess. Let's take her there first."

"I don't think that's a great idea Angela. She a goddess, not a magician."

"I know, I know, but she's a deity. She could probably snap her fingers and change anyone into anything. Besides, I know Vivi's a hothead, but maybe this Wizard is kind of a jerk. After all, hardly anyone in town knows anything about this guy, and most seem to avoid him unless they want their fortunes read, and even after that they gave me the impression that the guy made them uneasy. The Goddess may be able to help us without all that awkwardness."

"You just want to go to her because she flattered you," Grendel turned, and saw that froggy Vivi seemed more enthusiastic about seeing the Goddess in the Wizard's stead than Angela. The frog leapt happily into Angela's arms. With a sigh, Grendel again gave into Angela's whims for the second time that day and agreed to consult the Goddess first.

* * *

**A/N:** I bet you're all wondering when the Wizard will come into play. VERY, very soon, hang in there! After all, a story with no build up isn't much of a story so much as a statement. Unless you're writing a short one-shot, but still. He's coming.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh crap..." she held the big pink frog that was now Vivi, staring face-to-face with her mortal enemy: the bridge of Garmon Falls. "I forgot about this thing..." She now regretted suggesting they consult the Harvest Goddess now.

"Don't be like that Angela. You wanted to come to the Harvest Goddess spring so badly." Grendel said from half-way across the bridge. Sometimes Angela wondered why she kept that damn cat around.

"Fine. But I'm not walking," taking a few steps back, Angela made a mad dash for the bridge where she proceeded to sprint to the other side of the gorge. Unfortunately Grendel wasn't across yet, and Angela tripped, spilling herself and Vivi onto the hard wood of the bridge. The structure groaned from the impact. _Smooth_. She could feel Vivi squirming under her stomach, tickling it a little regardless of the circumstances, as her face throbbed. When she pulled her face up, she felt a cool liquid trailing down the center of her face. She touched the fresh wound on her forehead.

"You okay?" Grendel was perched on the hemp railing of the bridge, looking down.

"I guess," She reached for a handkerchief and began wiping her face. Vivi finally freed herself from under Angela's body, and though she was just a frog Angela could tell she was on the receiving end of a pretty nasty glare. Her knees were pretty scraped up too, but her handkerchief had already gone from a pure white to a ruddy red. Still she sopped up the blood on her knees and shins and stood up. Lucky for them, they were only a few steps away from the other side. Not missing a beat Angela quickly strode to the other side, Grendel by her side. Vivi was taking a little longer, as she could only hop. But their fortune at defeating this obstacle soon turned bad. It appeared that the impact from Angela's fall was far greater than any of them knew, and soon the bridge began to give. The sound of hemp slowly untangling itself was almost silent, but the aftermath was explosive as the bridge split in two. Vivi, looking so very small and helpless held on to Angela's side of the decapitated bridge for dear life. Angela screamed for help, hanging her body over the edge and reaching for Vivi.

"Oh my Goddess, Vivi hold on!" Tears welled up inside. She was a necromancer by trade, but an animal lover for life. Seeing the poor little pink frog tremble so helplessly was too much for Angela. Grendel stuck her head over the edge next to Angela.

"Vivi, listen to me. You have suction cups on your hands and feet. Slowly try climbing towards Angela and I." She called.

Still visibly frightened, like a true champ Vivi slowly ascended the side of the gorge. However, once she started closing the distance between her and the girls, she slipped and began to fall again. Cringing Angela expected to hear a massive _splat, _but to her surprise Vivi was able to prevent falling by catching herself on the wood paneling. Angela stretched her arms as far as her body would allow, but Vivi still was outside of reaching distance.

"Vivi!" Angela wailed. _I should have dragged her out of that damn house yesterday! I should've never let her cast this stupid spell! _Her inner thoughts grew more hysterical when Grendel cried "Look!"

Vivi was no longer holding onto the cliff's face, but instead was levitating in midair, a strange yellow color aura surrounding her amphibious body. She too seemed ignorant as to why she was now flying; it seemed her mystical powers were suppressed when she became a frog. But as clear as the blue sky Vivi was indeed floating towards Angela and Grendel, the former gratefully catching the still shaking frog in her arms. A shadow was cast against the other side's broken bridge, and when Angela looked up she saw an attractive man, this time it was not Luke. He had bronzed skin with an unknown white symbol tattooed under his right eye. His hair was the same silver as the sparkling stream below, and he was clad in a purple jacket and white pants. He seemed to be silently chanting something as the severed ends of the bridge also began to lift of seemingly their own accord. The same inaudible sound of hemp unraveling came again, this time in reverse as the bridge began to mend itself. When the man stopped speaking, he looked over at Angela where she noticed one eye was yellow and the other an emerald green.

"This should hold until the carpenters are able to properly apply repairs..." as soon and as mysteriously as he came he was gone. Angela's back was pressed against the stone surface opposite of the Carpenter's store. Vivi seemed agitated, Grendel amazed, Angela star struck.

"I think that man was the Wizard," Grendel said, still watching the spot where he was standing. Angela nodded, unable to speak. Vivi angrily leapt from Angela's arms and started to hop towards the Harvest Goddess stream. She stopped halfway to look at Angela and Grendel impatiently.

"Oh wow...that was amazing."

"I agree. See why we should have seen him first?"

"He just...he just came out of nowhere. And those powers?" Her back hunched over before she jumped into the air, "were amazing!"

"Angela control yourself. People are starting to stare."

"What?" she turned away to find all the residences of the Garmon Mines district huddled together, not looking at the miracle that is the bridge, but Angela. _Now they come out of the woodwork to help_. Luke pushed his way to the front of the group and ran up to Angela.

"Angela! We heard a racket out here, what happened?"

She was about to begin explaining when she remembered that most inhabitants were uneasy and aloof about the magic casters of this island. She bit her tongue against the urge of telling them of the Wizard's heroics.

"I...fell."

* * *

It was a pitiful excuse, but it seemed to work. Once she said that she tried running across the bridge as fast as she could due to her fear of heights and ended up tripping over her own feet, the people seemed satisfied and dispersed back to their homes and businesses. As they walked down the path, Angela replayed the scene over and over again in her mind.

"Are you okay Angela? You're being awfully quiet."

"Yeah, I was just musing."

"Over what?"

Her face transitioned from white to red. "I-I can't say."

"Hey! We never keep anything from each other!" Grendel sounded amazingly offended by Angela's sudden reservations.

"Don't be like that Grendel. It's no big deal."

"From the look on your face I would have to disagree."

"Since when have you been a gossiping Gabbie?"

"A _what_?"

"You heard me." The two exchanged more remarks over the course of four minutes, and Vivi had been tired of hearing them since minute one. In an attempt to get Angela to finally spill the beans, she stretched out her long sticky tongue and lobbed Angela right in the face. It stung again the cut on her forehead.

"Okay okay, jeez..." she tried to disguise her face by using Vivi as a cover. "I was just thinking...what that mark on the Wizard's face meant," she lied. _Not about whether or not the Wizard likes to slow dance, never would I be thinking of _that...

"That's what you were so secretive about?" Grendel gave her the stank eye.

"Yes. You asked the question, so now you have to accept the answer." Her steps became quicker as she rushed towards the spring.

"Hey! Wait up!" Grendel, having four legs, was able to catch up with her and greet the Harvest Goddess.

"Angela, Grendel...and Vivi?" The Goddess was surprised by this last visitor. "My, I haven't seen you since you first came to Castanet so long ago." Vivi shrugged, hoping out of Angela's arms.

"How did you know that was Vivi?" Angela was impressed by all the surprises this goddess kept exposing.

"The waters," her arms waved around her body, making a circle. For the first time Angela noticed that these small bodies of water that surrounded the Goddess were different from the ones they passed on the path. The coloring was off, and a mystical sparkle and shine emanated from its surface. "I'm able to watch over all of Castanet by just peering into these special puddles. I saw what Vivi tried to attempt, and while her intentions were sound, I saw the backlash of that spell as well. That had to be very scary, huh Vivi?" She spoke with the compassion of a mother. This didn't seem to soothe Vivi at all, only making her hotter under the collar.

"My lady," started Grendel, "how can we change Vivi back?"

The Goddess considered this for a minute before a small smile spread across her lips. Her hands twirling, she magically produced a small glass vile, which she filled up with the same special water she was just speaking about. She handed the vile to Angela. "Give her half of this today, and the other half tomorrow."

"Thank you my lady. So this will change her back?"

"It should."

_"It should"? _"What if it doesn't?" Angela winced thinking about crossing that bridge again unless she was going to the safety of her modest farm.

"If by the second dose tomorrow she has not returned to her former body, then I advise seeking G-the Wizard in Harmonica Town. I'm a deity that governs the life of plants and animals, I'm afraid I don't know much about magic outside of that field."

"Oh..." Angela thought the Goddess also created human life. _I guess that's where the Harvest King comes in_. "Okay then. Thank you again." They waved goodbye and left the aqua haired beauty to her reveries.

She waited until the trio was out of hearing range. "My my, I'm quite the cunning nymph aren't I?"

* * *

**A/N: **Did I lie? XD He's going to have a much bigger role from the next chapter on, and that's all I have to say on the matter.


	7. Chapter 7

She sniffed the mouth of the glass vile. _Smells very...watery_.

"What are you doing Angela?" Grendel asked, coming up from behind.

"I'm sniffing this 'special water'. Why?"

"Why indeed. What do you smell?" She perked her black ears.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It just smells like normal water full of naturally occurring nutrients like chlorine and fluoride." The sarcasm wasn't wasted on Grendel. She leapt onto Angela's shoulders, taking a whiff as well. Vivi groggily rolled in her sleep, moaning in her froggy voice. This was the second day of the water treatment, and so far Vivi showed no signs of improvement.

"I suppose we ought to wake her up and give her the last half." said Grendel, hoping down. She pranced over to the bed where Vivi snored and used the tip of her tail to tickle the frog, causing her to jump into the air. She landed safely on the bed's surface with a bounce and a glare at Grendel. "She's all yours Angela."

"Okay Vivi, say 'aaahhhh'." Annoyed, the frog lobbed Angela sharply on her side. She squeaked with the sharpness of the tag. "All right, all right, you're the worst patient ever. Just drink up," she poured the clear liquid down Vivi throat and stood back, anticipating the final transformation. _Just like in the movies._

Nothing happened.

"Maybe it takes a while to work?" suggested Grendel, lifting her shoulders. "Let's not get frantic yet." But it was too late for Vivi, whose eyes were welling up with wetness. Angela couldn't help but feel for the witch.

_I know how it is, being trapped in a situation you don't like. _"Please don't freak out Vivi. Grendel's right, let's give it a chance to...digest?"

Vivi was inconsolable, and her loud croaking wails echoed off the walls. Grendel's ears were bent in protest as she ran for the door and scratched at the framing. "Get me out of Angela! My hearing is more acute than yours!"

She dashed for the door and opened it just enough for Grendel to slip out. Even through the small gap Vivi's cries caused a flock of birds nearby to scatter in fear. She left the door cracked and returned to the hot pink mess on her bed. She lifted the frog up and carried her back and forth in the room like a baby, rubbing and patting her back and whispering soothing words and phrases.

"C'mon Vivi, don't cry. It's not over yet. We'll figure something out, so big smiles!" She held her out in front of her face, but the frog exhibited anything but a smile. Angela figured she just had to cry it off, so she took Vivi outside for some fresh air while she tended to her fields.

The turnips were coming in nicely, but weren't ready to be harvested. Grendel basked in the sunlight while she groomed herself. _Yuck_. Angela gave the cat her privacy and watered her plants. _At least Vivi seems to have calmed down some. Now's a good time to spring Plan B on her_.

"Vivi," Angela knelt down to face the frog, who sniffed in her misery. "I know you don't like the guy, but this spell is way over mine and Grendel's field of expertise. We _need _to consult the Wizard for help."

Vivi turned away, fuming. Angela has put up with Vivi's mood swings for two days now, even though she did everything in her power to make the divalicious frog comfortable: she brought her sweets, fluffed up her bed with extra pillows and blankets, ended up giving the bed up completely to sleep on the floor, earning her a swipe from Grendel's claws, and even bought a TV so she could have something to occupy her time. Nothing short of curing her condition made Vivi the least bit happy. Angela was at her wit's end, and Grendel was searching cook books for fried frog legs. She invited her into her home and she wasn't going to take sass any longer, especially not from a _frog_.

"Look at me Vivi! Unless you enjoy living your life as a frog-and I get the feeling you don't, even though I can't speak 'frog'-you'll have to swallow your pride and _ask for help_. Everyone needs help once in a while, even Grendel."

"What?" Grendel's grooming was interrupted at the sound of her name.

"Nothing." She waved her hand, and Grendel resumed. "So drop the puss and let's boogie." She scooped the frog up in her arms, and Grendel trotted behind them, still feeling filthy.

* * *

"Knock harder," suggested Grendel, the three of them stuck out in the middle of Harmonica town trying to get a response from the Wizard. They looked a sight: a black cat, a pink frog with a pointy hat, and Angela, covered in dirt.

She obeyed and pounded into the door with the side of her fist, really putting up a fight. "He might not be home right now."

"I am," a voice floated down from the Wizard's roof. All three girls jumped, and Angela nearly dropped Vivi on Grendel. The wizard stood towering before them, a watering pail in his hands. That was when Angela noticed the wizard had his own little garden right on his roof; delicious fruits and vegetables were bountiful.

Angela was flustered. "Um... hi there Mr. Wizard! My name is Angela, I was wondering if we could have a moment of your time?" But he wasn't looking at Angela; instead his gaze was fixed on Grendel's. Angela couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt some kind of communication transpired between the two. A chill ran up Angela's spine, and Vivi seemed to feel the same. When the silence was bordering on awkward, the wizard turned around and disappeared behind a door. Moments later he opened his front door and invited the troupe in.

She couldn't get enough of his house-it was like stepping into a fantasy book! Elaborate maps and paintings hung on his walls, charts of constellations were scattered here and there, unknown liquids rested in bottles on a table, there was even a crystal ball in the center of the room. What really dominated her attention was the gigantic telescope that crowned the house on the loft, the lens of which stuck gingerly out the large bay windows. It looked to be well taken care of, even polished, compared to many of the other items in the house (minus the crystal ball). Angela made turns in the center of the floor, taking in every little detail.

"Oh wow..." she was suddenly self-conscious about her shabby little farm, as if he were coming over that evening for dinner and she hadn't tidied up at all. "This is really amazing." Crystals in all colors and sizes hung from aged leather straps in the windows, casting a rainbow of color on the walls and floors. Of course, Angela had always been known back home to be easily impressed.

"...Thank you," he mumbled, looking pained by their presence. It only added to Angela's self-awareness issues, and her face reddened further. _Are we really that terrible?_

"Angela, we're not here to socialize," said Grendel. She was surprised the cat spoke so clearly in front of another person, preferring to keep her uncharacteristically linguistic skills a secret. Then she remember the exchange on the front step, and figured the wizard knew Grendel wasn't your run-of-the-mill feline.

"Right. Mr. Wizard..." she went into the whole story of the witch's attempts to summon the Harvest King, it's obvious backlash, and the meeting with the Goddess. "And the water has yet to work, although she's now drank it all." She pulled out the empty bottle and handed it to their host. "Does it take more time to kick in or will she need some other cure?"

He closely examined the glass, peering into the mouth of the bottle, and almost smirked. Angela caught that, though she decided he likely meant to keep that show of humor a secret. He handed the glass back to Angela. "...She will need a potion. I require...ingredients. I need you to fetch them." He took out a slip of paper and quickly jotted down a short list: Perfect butter, good cornmeal, and a hibiscus flower. She knew next to nothing about potions, but the ingredients seemed a out of left field, more like a shopping list than the needed items to reverse a body-altering spell.

She took the paper from the wizard and smiled. "Thank you Mr. Wizard." He showed them the way out, and didn't even bid them farewell when Angela whole-heartedly thanked him again and wished him a good day. She felt a little hurt by the wizard's brazen attitude. _I wonder why he's like that? Well, at least Vivi stayed quiet._ She remained still as a statue in Angela's arms; if it weren't for her heart beat, that's exactly what Angela would've thought she was. _I guess she finally admitted to herself that we had no choice. I for one didn't mind..._

"Are you day dreaming about 'Mr. Wizard'?" Grendel mocked, smirking a cat smirk.

"What else could I call him? 'The Wiz'? And what was up with you staring at him like that?"

She purred. "He's a very astute magic user. He knew I wasn't really a cat from the get go."

"I figured that out the moment you opened your mouth right in front of him. But I could tell there was more to it than that." She stopped walking and stooped down to eye level with Grendel. "Do you have a crush on the wizard?"

"Of course not," she spat, "you know that."

"It's been ten years Grendel. I don't think he's after you anymore. It's okay to be a person...and to fall in love again."

"I prefer being a cat. Most people don't like cats, so I'm left alone."

"I love cats."

"I know, that's why I assumed this form."

"Oh Grendel! I knew you love me!" She swept the cat off her four feet while holding Vivi in the other arm. Grendel squirmed in her arm, even gripped Angela's flesh with her claws, but nothing would stop the necromancer from snuggling her face into her black fur. "Don't you dare deny it!"

"Don't you dare force me to slip rat poison in your mouth while you sleep," she was able at last to free herself and began to make her way down the path towards home. Angela jogged to catch up as the sun began to set. "Anyway, how are we to gather these ingredients? It isn't the season for growing corn, so checking cornmeal off the list first is out of the question. You don't have a cow, nor do you have the means of purchasing and raising one, so no to the butter. And the boats that commute back and forth from Castanet to Toucan Island have not returned to port. I we've gone straight from the frying pan into the fire."

"_Faith_ Grendel. Just like the Harvest Goddess has in me."

"The next time someone pays you a compliment I'm scratching their eyes out."

Vivi nodded in agreement, and Angela whined about the lack of confidence all the way home. None of them had any idea that high up on a cliff on the outskirts of Harmonica someone was watching their every move.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Okay, I'm going to be honest: I don't know anything about astral magic or the astral plane, or the exact ties either one has to necromancy. Most of this stuff I skimmed on the Internet, and just kind of mashed everything together. In other words, when it comes to the description of the astral magic and astral plane, I'm basically talking out my ass. In fact, I don't really believe in all this stuff. But since the game has to do with summoning the Harvest King, I thought it make for an interesting story. It's fiction guys, so keep that in mind, 'k?

* * *

"So I was wondering what you know about astral magic?"

He certainly wasn't ready for _that_. When Angela arrived on his doorstep this morning he thought she would have a question about an ingredient for the witch's antidote, or, like many girls on the island, wanted her fortune read. Astral magic was such a far out concept to the modern world, and many had never heard of it.

"When it comes to necromancy," he began, "astral magic is used mainly...to change the phase of the moon."

"I know, the moon has to be waxing or waning in order to summon someone as an apparition or a bodily form. But I don't know a thing about astral magic. I always just waited for the right moon phase when I would practice." She remembered sitting in her cave with Grendel, gazing up at the hole in the ceiling, waiting under a blanket of stars.

"...Why don't you just do that now?"

"Because I'm impatient!" She didn't mean to raise her voice, but Angela abhorred people constantly questioning her motives. "Besides, if the moon phase shifts even slightly than the whole ritual could be messed up. If the waning crescent moved even a centimeter out of place with the necromancy skills, the dead could rise with an unholy blood lust, to name just one accidental mishap."

"How...do you know if the Harvest King...is dead?" He lifted his chin, challenging her.

_Tough crowd_. She shook her head. "I don't. Maybe the practice of necromancy could be altered to raise someone from the astral plane to this world. Isn't that what the Harvest teachings say? That he resides on the astral plane as the departed make their way to the appropriate afterlife?"

"I suppose..." He had his doubts, but he was intrigued. One had to search very hard and very far to find a necromancer. "How about we meet...tonight?"

She felt faint. "Uhh...sure. When?"

"Midnight. The graveyard next to the church...bring your salts and fermented grape juice..."

"Okay, great. I'll see you then."

* * *

_Fermented grape juice...a symbol of death, in some ways. _On the way home Angela scanned over a big, leather bound book with the same fervor as a college student cramming for an exam. _I knew that. I have plenty back home in the refrigerator_. Her farm was just a little further away, another ten minutes tops. _I think I'll wear my old grey cloak tonight, just like the old days..._

The old days. When she was a little girl, nearly seventy years ago. She still had the same body and mind, plus the naivety, she had when she was eighteen, but since then those big brown eyes had seen much. Living in a cave most of her life, Angela knew how to survive physically, not so much emotionally, but she learned as she aged. She learned how deep a grave needed to be, and first-hand experience of the detrimental effects of doing so. She thought often of Inazin, of the time they spent when he was her grandfather's apprentice, of his sudden vengeance one night, of his death.

She sighed as she reached the foot of the hill on which her house stood when something green on the ground caught her eye. She slipped the book back in her rucksack and made a mad dash for her garden. What she saw made her jump and scream, and Grendel and Vivi hurried out of the cracked front door to see what was amiss. When they took in the situation, Vivi plopped herself on the ground, indifferent while Grendel lifted her yellow eyes to Angela with pride.

"I did it!" She shouted to the mountains, the green swaying in the breeze. "I did it! I grew some turnips!"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Oppsie guys! I made a boo boo. I kept using the term "fermented grape juice" in the last chapter, when what I meant was "_unfermented_ grape juice." Sorry everyone!

* * *

Her cloak wasn't fresh. At all. But she still slipped it on as the clock struck 11:30 p.m. _I hope he doesn't notice._

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Grendel asked. She sat on the bed next to a sleeping Vivi. Angela was stuffing her bag with salts and the unfermented grape juice. And some chalk; she didn't like using blood, as she felt it insulted the dead and made the whole ritual more barbaric.

"I'm positive. I'm not a little girl anymore Grendel. I can handle this." She threw the bag over her shoulder and made for the door. "But you can wish me luck."

"Good luck, of course."

"Hello?" The graveyard was appropriately covered in a grey mist. It seemed abandoned. According to the clock tower on the church steeple it was five till midnight. _Fashionably late?_

"Not really," she wheeled around on the balls of her feet to see the wizard sitting casually by the stone stairs, legs and arms crossed.

"How long have you been here?"

"Not long...it doesn't take long to walk here from my home..." He stood to meet her where she stood in the middle of the cemetery. "How is the potion coming along?"

Her shoulders slumped. "It's only been a day. But I have a plan to get the perfect butter: the upcoming Animal Festival sells them, I think..."

"I wouldn't know...I've never been..."

"Why?"

"No animal."

"I don't think they'd turn you away because you don't have a pet."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." he turned and faced a headstone. "This is it..."

She read the inscription: _Animal Grave_. She nodded, and began to take out her supplies. "If you're nervous about going to the festival alone, you could come along with me and Grendel."

"You're...entering Grendel?"

The thought hadn't crossed her mine. "No, she usually follows me around is all. I told her she didn't need to come tonight. I think she trusts you, but knows I'm still a little iffy about necromancy. I guess I have all the textbook information down pat, but I usually get anxious when it's time to actually perform. She soothes me."

"Then why didn't you bring her along this time?"

"Because she may not always be around. I have to learn to do this without her." She finished drawing out the correct diagram and symbols with the chalk, and the salts and grape juice sat next to the wizard's feet. She stood opposite the grave stone, and gazed up at the moon. That was when the wizard pitched in by reciting some ancient hymns in a language unknown to Angela; it was different from what she heard him chanting when the bridge collapsed. This time it was a very pleasant sound, one that could lull someone to sleep as Angela began to yawn. She shook her head to clear her mind, and when the wizard stopped she began.

Her eyes closed, arms outstretched in front of her, began her own ritualistic mantra. The diagram's drawn lines began to glow, and a strong gale wind forced its way from that glow towards the sky. Her cloak flopped from the wreckage while the wizard felt the need to shield his eyes from the brilliant light as it grew more luminous. After a few more moments that same light began to dull and fade, and while there was little more than a gentle glow a set of bovine horns poked through the earth, never once disturbing the ground. What followed were some floppy ears, a pink snout, four sets of hooves, and a long tail. What stood in the circle was a cow, one in nearly mint condition. Nearly.

Its eyes were missing, replaced only by black holes. This was normal, as when a necromancer summons someone or something from the dead bodily, its soul is gone. Even without a soul a person can still lend the necromancer any information that would be known by the deceased, and perhaps more. The bull's tail flipped left and right as it began poking the grass with his nose.

"Impressive..." mumbled the wizard as he circle the animal, examining it from every angle.

"Animals are my specialty."

"Only animals? ...no humans?"

"No, no humans. Yet." It felt good to exercise her magical muscles after so long of not doing so. But it left her feeling exhausted.

The wizard picked up on this, and handed her the salt. "You did this without the juice..."

Her eyes shot to the glass jug to confirm. _How is that possible?_

"You are gaining experience with your necromancy. Even seasoned necromancers still need to do or consume something to represent the dead every once in a while...you didn't."

She tossed the salt onto the dead cow as it consumed the animal in a big plume. Before long, the salt cleared on the breeze of the wind, and it was as if there never was anything there. She used her booted foot to brush away the chalk on the grass. "Grendel will be pleased."

"I know she will..."

* * *

They walked back to town together. "So, how much did you learn from Grendel when you first met her?"

"A lot...she explained everything...about the Harvest King...about you and your plans..."

"All in a glance." Grendel never ceased to amaze Angela. She knew her for her entire life, but still that pesky feline still had plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

"She's very talented..."

"I know! Once when I was little, there was this fair in our village, and she was a fortune teller. And she was good! She read everyone's fortune-well over two hundred people-that night for free."

"As a cat?"

"No, she wasn't a cat then. It's a long story."

"I'm sure..." They arrived at the corner of his house, but he continued to walk down the street. "I want...to walk you home..."

"Oh," she doubted the crime rate was high on this island, considering everyone knew one another, but she went along with it. He looked young, but she knew he was like her: young body, long life. He probably grew up during a time when men walked ladies home, no matter the time or distance. It was refreshing. Everyone seemed so independent of one another on this island, almost all of the values that were popular when she was a child were almost extinguished. She caught up with him. "So how long have you lived on this island?"

He sniffed. "A long, long time..."

"That's a little vague."

"I've been here...I suppose over one-hundred and fifty years."

"Shmowzow!"

"You seem surprised...you're only half my age...about..."

"I know, but sometimes it's still scary when you hear it out loud."

"Yes...I suppose so." They made it to her door step, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the curtains shift. _Grendel_.

"Thank you for walking me home."

"You're welcome. We should do this again soon..."

"You mean hang out?"

"'Hang out'?"

"Like we did tonight."

Somehow the thought of resurrecting a cow from the dead did not seem to fit into the "hanging out" category. He shrugged. "Whatever..."

"Okay then. I'll stop by your place in a few days." She needed the time to recuperate. She wished him a good night before disappearing into the house.


	10. Chapter 10

"I hate you!" cried a small, familiar voice, echoing off the cave walls. Her fever was severe, Inazin was gone-and no one would tell her why-and Grendel had turned into a cat, and young Angela blamed it all on necromancy, and her grandfather's insistence on her learning the forbidden art. He had dreamt of a when necromancy would be seen as a force for good instead of evil; seven-year-old Angela dreamt of living among people and having friends her own age.

She rolled over, her blankets and pillow covered in sweat. The flu had taken hold of Angela with a vengeance, and she feared the same evil that made Inazin insane was taking over her as well. Her grandfather stood up stiffly, tossing another log onto the fire.

"I'm heading into town to find some medicine. I'll be back in a few days," he told Grendel before ducking through the cave's mouth.

"I hate you..." Angela groaned, her voice horse as she neared the edge of sleep. Awkwardly, Grendel lifted a wet towel from a bowl and placed it on Angela's forehead. She was prepared for another night's vigil over the sick girl.

There came a crashing sound. Wood groaning under some unknown weight. She was completely still in sleep. Concerned voices drifted from the outside as another crash sounded. Finally the barrier gave and men came spilling into the farm's modest house, and Angela shot up from her bed, breathing heavy.

"What the-"

"Are you okay Angela?" asked Hamilton as he waddled over to her bedside. Grendel and Vivi poked their heads up from under her quilt, groggy still themselves. Angela rubbed her eyes, thinking she's still dreaming.

"I'm fine. Why?"

Hamilton, Cain, Luke and Dale were all standing around her one-room house, wide eyed. Jin pushed his way to the front of the crowd and knelt bedside Angela, checking her pulse. She gave Grendel a questioning look, cocking an eyebrow. Subtly, Grendel shook her head: _I have no idea what's going on_.

She turned back to Jin, who now was pressing a cold stethoscope against her chest. "Sooo...what's the problem here boys?"

Hamilton pulled at his collar. "Well...I came by to see how things were going on the farm, and you were asleep, so I decided to come back later that evening. And you were _still _sleeping. When I came by the next morning you were _still _sleeping, and now, this evening I found you once again sawing logs. You hadn't moved a muscle and I...feared the worse."

"Yeah, whoever built your door knew exactly what they were doing," Cain rubbed his shoulder. "It's easier breaking into Fort Knox. I thought I'd have to have Luke and Dale here to disassemble the thing."

She peeked out the window next to her bed; the sky had taken on a purplish hue as dusk approached.

"I've been asleep for two days?" She knew she needed rest after necromancing, but this was ridiculous.

"She seems to be fine so far," Jin strapped on the blood pressure cuff and began pumping. "I suppose it could be anemia. I think you should stay at the clinic for a couple of days."

"What? No, no I'm fine, really! I don't feel sick at all." Her stomach gave a low growl. Everyone turned to look. "No, it's not what you think. I'm just hungry."

"Angela, I wouldn't recommend a hospital stay if I didn't feel it necessary. Please, just let us take you there, and you'll be home in no time."

"That's impossible, sorry. Who will take care of my pets?" She motioned toward Grendel and Vivi, the latter of which seemed to dislike being called a "pet".

"We'll bring them along." He packed away his blood pressure cuff into a small black leather bag and stood, giving Angela plenty of room to get up.

"Don't be a sis Angela! I'll even carry you there on my back." Luke gave his traditional gleaming smile and thumbs up.

"But I'm fine." She sensed none of them would leave until she agreed to come quietly, and with a sigh she stood up. Everyone encircled her, ready to catch her if she fainted. She rolled her eyes, grabbed an overnight bag from under her bed, and began stuffing them with clothes. Cain lovingly picked up Grendel and Vivi and waited by the door with the rest of them. And Luke insisted he keep up his end of the bargain and lifted Angela off her feet. It was the most humiliating moment of her life as the group escorted her through the still busy town of Harmonica. People stopped whatever they were doing to watch the spectacle, and Angela tried to hide her face. When they arrived at Choral Clinic, Anissa was preparing Angela's bed and tidied up a few things, laying out medicine, a basin, a bedside portable toilet and extra blankets. Worst of all, she laid out a hospital gown, the kind that tie in the back and never seem to stay closed.

"Hi there Angela. I'm glad to see you're awake." She smiled, moving out of Luke's way. He gently laid Angela on top of the bed coverings. Jin took his wife and grandmother aside and explained what he had planned for Angela: monitoring, EKG, blood tests, plenty of vitamin supplements, and a special diet high in iron. The women nodded and left to prepare.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Jin condescendingly asked. Cain placed the two small animals next to Angela's legs. Grendel leapt over to be near Angela's face while Vivi curled up into a ball and fell back asleep. "For tonight, I'll have you rest for the remainder of the night. Tomorrow we'll start testing you. I'd say you'll be out of here by Tuesday."

She thanked everyone for their concern as each filed down the stairs and out of the clinic. When they felt they were alone, Angela rolled over to face Grendel. "That was weird."

"Tell me about it. Talk about a wake-up call." She yawned and stretched, first her front legs then her back. "I believe ever since you had that nasty flu when you were seven you need to rest even more after a necromancy session. Especially now that you're older."

"Hey! I am not old!"

"Physically, no. But biologically..."

"I don't believe that either. Why else would magic users stop aging after they reach maturity just to have their constitution equal their actual age?"

"You grandfather certainly showed his age." She regretted uttering the worlds as soon as they slipped out of her mouth.

"Grandpa had to disguise his body's appearance as years went by because he lived among mortals for the majority of his life. You know back in those days they would have burned him at the stake if fifty years went by and he hadn't aged a day." Angela folded her arms defiantly.

That wasn't exactly what Grendel was getting at, but she remained silent. She thought back to that day over sixty years ago when Angela was seven and sick, laying on the floor of her cave with a fever like none Grendel or Angela's grandfather had ever witnessed. "I thought I heard you say 'I hate you' before everyone came crashing into your house. I may have dreamt of that, but I don't think so..."

"You probably were. You're a vivid dreamer." Angela stretched, suddenly feeling tired again. She felt that she wouldn't be able to sleep all through the night, but if she could nap to avoid telling Grendel about her dream, she was going to try. She curled herself up in her blankets and turned over, and within minutes she was fast asleep.

"Angela," Anissa was gently nudging the sleeping girl. "Angela, wake up, you have a visitor."

_A visitor_. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, rolling over to face the nurse. "Who?"

She stepped aside to reveal the wizard. Angela could tell he felt very out of place being in a public place, although the clinic was nearly deserted. Anissa pulled out a chair for him before leaving the room.

He sat. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but what are you doing here?" Angela pulled the covers up more, hoping he couldn't see her childish yellow pajamas with the orange cat-face pattern.

"I was here to purchase some green tea when I overheard the doctor speaking about your condition with that woman." Anissa was the only girl who never came by and paid the wizard a visit to have her fortune read. He was grateful for that.

"Oh. I think they're overreacting. My EKG is fine, and so is my pulse and blood pressure, and I'm only a little low on iron. I hope to be back home by the morning."

"I feel responsible...you wouldn't have gotten into this mess if I hadn't asked you to use your necromancy powers." He looked sincerely apologetic, which tugged at Angela's heartstrings. She reached her hand out and took his. He felt like recoiling at first, but decided to stay put with his hand cradled in hers.

"It's not your fault Mr. Wizard. Really, don't fret over this."

"You don't have to call me 'Mr. Wizard'..."

"You never gave me your name. What should I call you?"

"It's...Wizard. Just call me that."

Angela was buying that as his real name, unless his parents were determined that he would become a wizard when he grew up. If that were the case nowadays, her grandpa would've insisted naming her "Necromancer". But she accepted it none the less. "Okay, Wizard."

He nodded, and made his way to the stairs, wishing her good health once more before leaving. She smiled. _What a pleasant surprise!_ She curled back up under the covers and closed her eyes, thinking about the kind gesture the Wizard displayed.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ahhh," she engulfed the brisk morning air greedily, enjoying the sensation of her lungs filling to the brim then slowly deflate. "It's great to be out of the hospital! Thanks for walking me home, Wizard." He flustered as she beamed at him, carrying her overnight bag. She reached to take it away. "You don't have to-"

"I want to." He drew it further away from her hand as he lead the strange troupe of girl, cat and frog back to the farm.

"I'm not completely helpless you know."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"Because I'm a gentleman."

Angela huffed, keeping up pace with him. All things considered, she was glad to spend more time with him, may haps even break through those walls and see the real Wizard. The sun was radiantly shining, and the birds were singing sweet melodies whose origins were known only to them. For once in her life Angela secretly wished Grendel (and Vivi for that matter) would get lost. Then she could nonchalantly hook her arm with the Wizard's, maybe lean her head against his shoulder, blame it on her hospital stay and fragile condition. Vivi seemed content to ride atop the overnight bag, and seemed to be dozing while Grendel was a few steps ahead. _This could be my chance to try..._

* * *

She drew in a long breath and thrust her arm through his, and slowly leaned her head against his shoulder, a scene she'd played through her mind a hundred times. He didn't recoil, like she had feared, and Grendel and Vivi seemed totally ignorant of the whole display. For a while he stared ahead, and Angela began to doubt her spontaneous decision at assertiveness when he leaned his head down, his lips softly touching her hair.

"Angela..." he said in that same faraway voice she had grown to love. She held her breath while she waited for him to continue. He didn't; instead they both stopped walking and looked into each others' eyes. Grendel kept going, and Vivi started snoring.

"Angela..." he repeated. A breeze blew by, stirring up a few stray leaves and tussling their hair. Without another word he leaned down as she leaned up, and their mouths were just inches away.

* * *

When her face finally collided with the hard surface that was the dusty path leading to her front step did Angela realize that she had imagined the whole scene. And that she stupidly tripped over an inconveniently placed rock while the others were several feet ahead of her. The others seem to only notice her absence when she fell with a solid _thud_. Quickly Wizard and Grendel made their way to her side.

"Angela! Are you all right? Did you get dizzy?" Grendel stood on her back paws and placed a front one on her forehead. To the casual observer it would have appeared to be a very cute scene between a girl and her beloved pet, but considering the disappointment of her reverie being just that, Angela wasn't amused.

"I'm fine. I tripped over a stupid rock." She leaned back, scooped the rock up, and angrily threw it into the depths of a pond. She quickly got to her feet and brushed the dust from her clothes.

"Oh my...maybe I should have borrowed a wheel chair from the clinic." The Wizard mumbled. That was the last straw.

"I'm fine! For crying out loud, I wish everyone would stop babying me and _leave me alone!_" She lashed her hand out and took the bag from the Wizard, her quick actions and sudden outburst waking Vivi up. She stomped her way back up to her house and slammed the door shut on Wizard and Grendel. Both stood in shock.

"Did I...do something wrong?"

Grendel sighed. "No, you didn't."

"Will she be all right?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. I apologize for...whatever that was. Thank you for looking out for Angela. She really does appreciate it, even if she doesn't always show it."

"Okay..." He fished around in pocket and plucked from it a small card. "If she should feel ill...or whatever, here's the number to the clinic..." He bent over and held it out.

Grendel sensed there were other intentions behind his offering Angela the direct line to the clinic, considering everyone who moved to Castanet was given a small phone book with each facility's number written in it, for emergencies and such. But she nodded anyway and took the card with her small mouth. She watched the Wizard depart before she began pawing at the door.

She let Grendel in quickly, looking out the window to make sure the Wizard was indeed gone. Grendel hopped onto the table and spat out the card. "For you."

"What is it?" Angela asked, marking off the two days she spent in the hospital on the calendar. It read back Spring 8th.

"A card with the number to the clinic. From Wizard."

Angela turned, puzzled. "Why did he give me that?"

"I don't know. I'm just the messenger."

"Hmmm..." She picked up the rose colored business card, taking care to avoid Grendel's saliva. Nothing special about it, no written note from the Wizard on the front or back. Just a standard card. With indifference she tossed the card over her shoulder.

"Angela!"

"What? I already have their number."

"Still, it was a token of concern from the Wizard. You grandfather would be disappointed by this and the absurd display outside."

That hurt. Though Grendel was fully aware of this, she stood firm. Sometimes people needed to be burned in order to stay away from the flame.

"I know that."

"Then why are you acting like a spoiled teenager?"

"Because!" She swallowed hard, not wanting to admit what the reason behind falling over the rock was.

"Angela, I've known you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper. I know you're lying to me."

Still, Angela remained defiant.

"Fine, won't speak will you? But you've painted an ugly picture of yourself for the Wizard." She jumped from the table top and headed for the bed where she curled up in a wedge of sunlight next to Vivi. The comment hurt almost as much as the one about her grandfather, and Angela knew Grendel, like usual, was right. While the two napped, Angela jumped into the shower, fixed her hair, and pulled on fresh clothes. Leaving only a note stating she would be back later, she slipped out of the house and made her way for the Wizard's house.

* * *

She almost felt like running back home, but she remembered what Grendel had said. _Your grandfather would be disappointed_. She knocked hard on the door, expecting no answer and surprised by one.

"Angela..."

"Wizard, before you say anything, I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for earlier. I was just, you know, embarrassed by tripping over a rock. In front of everyone. You always carry yourself so well, I wish I had your kind of self confidence..." She shied away with that last portion, she didn't even notice the contradiction in the Wizard's eyes.

_I wish I had that kind of confidence too_. "It's okay Angela...don't worry."

She was elated by this simple answer, and that fact took the Wizard aback. Such trivial moments seemed so significant to Angela. "Do you mind if I come in for a little while? After all, we haven't hung out yet."

He didn't know how to approach the situation. Usually when people wanted in, they were ready to get down to business and find out what their secret admirer thought of them. "I suppose so..." She pushed pass him, and walked to the middle of the room, absorbing its atmosphere with that same awe she'd shown when she first visited the Wizard.

"I'm always amazed by the things in your house Wizard. They're so neat."

"Thank you..."

She noticed the crystal ball adjacent to where she stood, and almost sat down behind it to see what her necromancy skills had to offer, but decided against it. She didn't want the Wizard to think she came over to have her fortune read, and she _certainly _didn't want to give the impression that she had eyes for someone else. Instead, he awkwardly invite her to sit at a rather large table near his bed, an object she had failed to notice earlier. She happily complied, and both drank green tea and talked; not chit-chatted, but actually talked. Well, Angela did most of the talking, but the Wizard found himself thoroughly enjoying her exuberance and energy and optimism. Truly the little things in life held great meaning to the young farmer/necromancer: she spoke excitedly about a sweet and slightly overweight blue bird she'd spotted on the way over, singing a happy tune, and told him in great detail about one morning while in the hospital she woke up before Grendel and Vivi to find them unconsciously snuggling close together while in the throes of sleep. That last story made her laugh and laugh, and he saw that her nose wrinkled up when she smiled. That alone caused him to grin, which was instantly noticed by Angela.

"Wizard!"

"Wh-what?" he suddenly became self-conscious, and hid the grin away. Angela frowned.

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what...?"

"Don't stop smiling! It looks great on you." His discomfort with himself intensified as he fumbled around for the right response. In the meantime, Angela had gotten up and began admiring his telescope, closely examining every angle and dimension. He jumped; he didn't like it when others got too near his prize possession. He was at her side in an instant.

"Please be careful..."

"Oh," Angela backed up. "I'm sorry, I just thought it was kind of cool. How do you operate something like this?"

"It's...complicated..."

Angela took that as a polite way of saying that this was not a good time for a stargazing tutorial. She looked at her watch and noticed it was already half past six. _Oh crap! Here I've been talking his ear off, and he might have plans or something..._

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice the time. I better get going." She scooted around him in the confined area between telescope and wall, and headed for the door. Surprisingly he kept pace.

"Thank you Wizard for hanging out with me," she said with earnest. He could only nod, holding open the door. Something confound her to stay just a minute longer, an idea that just popped into her head. "Wizard...are you busy tomorrow?"

"I don't think so..."

"Great. Than can you do me a favor?"

He pulled at his collar. "Y-yes, what is it?"

"Could you show me the Harvest King's ruins? I've heard around town that they're located on top of Garmon mines. Do you mind?"

"No, I'll take you there. Are you sure you're up for this?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I am! You know that hospital stay was overrated."

"All right then..."

"Cool! We'd better get an early start, so I'll come by around eight in the morning, okay? I'll even pack us a lunch. Thanks again!" She waved as she raced down the stairs and onto the main street. He held up his hand, watching her until she disappeared before disappearing himself into the sanctuary of his house.

* * *

"I'm glad you made amends with the Wizard Angela." Grendel said, wide awake now from sleeping all day.

She nodded. "Me too. And I can't wait for tomorrow!"

"It's going to be a pretty steep climb," they both looked at Vivi, who fervently shook her head in protest. They looked back at one another, glad that the frog decided to sit this adventure out.

"I know, but I'll be okay." She yawned and stretched her arms, content to hear the pop in the center of her shoulder blades. She flicked the lights off and climbed under the covers, but something felt amiss. She tossed and turned for about thirty minutes before figuring out what was bothering her. She flicked the light switch back on, and scanned the floor until her eyes fell on a rose-colored business card. She picked the card up, laid it on her bedside table, and turned out the lights, falling right to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **A sappy chapter, but that's the way things go sometimes.


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh my crease I think I want to die..." moaned Angela, huffing and puffing as she, Wizard and Grendel ascended to the forty-third floor of the Garmon upper mines. She wasn't the most accommodating travel companion; she needed Wizard to hold both her hands tightly as they crossed the forsaken bridge across the falls, and needed to halt the proceedings each time she spotted a rock that, in her inexperienced opinion, promised a "great-looking" ore. The cat and wizard could barely coax her to move after lunch, finding the cool temperature of the caves intoxicating on a full stomach. Now, just one floor later, Angela was looking pale and exhausted once again.

"Angela you're so lazy." Complained Grendel, swiping at Angela's exposed thigh with her claws, causing Angela to yelp in pain. The Wizard waited patiently and silently by the stairway to the next floor, watching the two lash it out.

"I am not! I'm just...chubby?"

"You are not! Now get up and let's get moving. It's only a few more floors."

"Fine," she sighed, aggravated. Slowly (ever so slowly) she stood up, grunting along the way. When she managed to make it to her feet, she stretched and walked over to the Wizard.

"Exciting, isn't it? I've never seen these ruins before. For some reason, no one had ever bothered to photograph this place," she was even disappointed by what little evidence Calvin could provide her. Every time she asked him, a fog would cover his eyes and he would claim he could barely remember any fine details of the ruins, not even what the mysterious glyphs that were reported to be up here meant. He did give her a stone tablet that he _assumed _he recovered on one of his expeditions to the ruins, but it made no sense to Angela, not even to Wizard or Grendel, and as usual Vivi was of no help. None of her books could lend any clues; but Calvin was puzzled by one obvious detail: the carvings in this tablet were made recently. Likely a prank left by someone to confuse or scare any spectators, but Angela wasn't buying that theory. She may be unable to place the symbols or interpret their meaning, but she _knew _she had seen them somewhere. Something about the seemingly random and innate language haunted Angela ever since her possession of the stone yesterday, after she had left the Wizard's house. Granted, she met Calvin at the bar, and he could have been unable to provide useful information on account of intoxication, but something seemed wrong to Angela. Something had crawled under her skin, and it refused to leave her be.

Like always, the Wizard showed little emotion. He nodded, and lead the ladies the rest of the way up to the summit. What they saw there was startling.

The landscape sparkled with piles of fresh white snow, the surface of black rocks showing only slightly through the white covering. A stone bridge, much more intimidating that the one that crossed the falls, was surrounded by lower hills and peaks. At the top of this bridge laid a rock platform, with more hieroglyphics carved into it. To Angela, the platform seemed to be a spot of great importance, such as a meeting place or a throne for a leader. Or a place where sacrificial subjects were offered to an unknown entity. She shivered.

"Don't be frightened Angela...I'll help you up the bridge..." the Wizard reassured. Grendel was still absorbing the breathtaking and eerily deserted terrain by the Wizard's feet when Angela suddenly brushed past them without a word. She began to climb the bridge.

"Angela?" Grendel called after her, trying to catch up with her necromancer. Angela seemed to be in a trance, her back perfectly straight and her pace unfaltering as she bravely ascended the bridge, never looking back or slowing down. Grendel gave the Wizard a concerned glance, to which he returned an equally concerned look. Grendel hopped onto his shoulders as they followed Angela up.

"Angela!" Grendel tried again, but to no avail. She remained strident in her march to the platform. Her head, however, did quickly twitch to the left, but then assumed it previous position with eyes straight forward. When they reached the higher summit, she stood before the platform, staring, waiting.

"Angela, quit fooling around." Grendel jumped from the Wizard's shoulders and faced Angela. "You're not scaring anyone. So get serious and investigate this place, like you wanted to." But it was no use. Angela couldn't hear her as her eyes glazed over and her pupils dilated. Grendel had lied; she was scaring at least one person here. "Angela?"

On the balls of her heels, Angela swung around and stared at the Wizard. She began to walk towards him, her breathing becoming heavier with each step. Her hands went to the collar of her shirt where she began to unbutton her blouse. Along the way down the line of buttons she unhooked her bra, and her breasts began to poke out.

"Angela!" He came forward, trying to button her shirt back up. It was no use; she kept unbuttoning his attempts. She pressed her body closer into his, and Grendel's ear perked up in the opposite direction. Someone was here.

"Please, stop this," he plead with Angela, still trying to fix her clothing when he too felt another presence. "Grendel, what's happening?"

"I don't know, I just-"

"Remember when she use to have us play house with her?" Said a voice from an indecipherable location. Grendel and Wizard fiercely searched the area, but could find no fourth party. "I think she always rather play instead of study to become a great necromancer, like her grandfather."

"Who are you?" Shouted Grendel desperately. Still no one appeared, but she knew of only one other person who knew such a detail from Angela's past.

"Grendel, have you already forgotten who I am? That's hurtful."

Angela's attention was broken from Wizard, and she turned and made her way back to the altar.

"Angela is so very weak. Her magical defenses are still not up to par, unlike yours and your friend's, Grendel. She fell easily into my trap."

She could deny it no longer, though she hoped she was wrong. "Inazin?"

"There you go!" A man appeared on the altar before a dazed Angela. His eyes were a piercing yellow, his long hair, turquoise with streaks of blue, flowing as a sudden gust of arctic wind blew by. "I knew deep down you could never forget me, Grendel."

Her skin crawled when he said her name. His clothing greatly resembled those from the portraits of the Harvest King, except for the black hooded cloak that was draped over his broad shoulders. His mouth was twisted into a sinister smirk as his eyes left Grendel's and moved to Angela.

"What do you want, Inazin? Leave Angela alone."

"I will, don't worry." He pulled out a black staff with a pointed red gem attached to the end. With this gem he made an imaginary circle around Angela's torso. "I'd never hurt Angela."

Grendel's flanks rose as her ears bent back and she crouched into a threatening position. "Don't touch her!" She hissed.

The Wizard did not know what to do. The presence radiating from this stranger was practically suffocating him. Apparently, Wizard was the next target. Inazin's eyes lifted to look the Wizard in the face. He merely stared at the other man, never uttering a word before turning his attention back to Grendel.

"There's no use in summoning the Harvest King."

"And why's that?"

"Take my word for it. It's just _not _a good idea."

"What are you talking about?" She demanded, growing tired of the childish mind games Inazin was so famous for.

He waved his hand. "Trust, Grendel. Or should I say _faith_." He patted Angela obediently on her head before taking a few steps back. "It was nice to see you again, my dear. Farewell."

The wind blew strong again as Grendel lunged at Inazin, her cat form slowly deteriorating into that of a panther's, her large fangs bared and her claws extended. Her muscles tightened as she released a mighty roar, but her efforts were in vain. When he completely disappeared, Angela's body folded from underneath her as she crumpled to the ground. The Wizard was instantly by her side, holding her in his lap as he repeated her name over and over. Thankfully, her eyes were shut, and nothing remained from that hideous state she was just in. Grendel's body remained the same as she ran to his side.

"We need to get her out of here," she said, her voice more ragged and loud in this form. He gathered her limp body into his arms, and the three rushed down the bridge, through the many trials each floor in the Garmon upper mines presented, and hurried for home.


	13. Chapter 13

She was asleep for another few days. The Wizard never left her or Grendel's side the entire time, watering Angela's plants when needed or searching through book upon book trying to find the cure for her ailment. If nothing else, he simply sat by her bedside, re-dampening a wet washcloth placed across her forehead when needed. Grendel, and even Vivi, also kept vigil over their fallen friend.

Wizard at last gathered up the courage to ask, "Who was that?"

Grendel sighed. "A man from Angela's and my past. He studied under her grandfather, who was an accomplished magician in many fields of magic. The three of us were all his students in necromancy."

"So...you're a necromancer too?"

"Yes, or at least I was. I can't perform necromancy as a cat, and I won't go back to being a human."

He felt it wasn't his place to ask why she remained a house cat. "Why does he harbor so much vengeance towards you two?"

She waved her tail, as if to say _Oh, that_. "It's a long story. He used to be very kind, but something changed him overnight."

Just then, Angela began to stir. Everyone gathered closer around her as she reluctantly opened her weary eyes. She sat up, scratched the back of her head, and yawned. "What happened?"

"Inazin happened. Angela, it may be prudent if we leave Castanet."

Her eyes grew large. "What? Why?"

"Because he's after us. He's still convinced we're trying to outrank him in the world of necromancy."

"But that's so stupid, it's always been stupid. We were always so close..." She stared at the wall beyond Grendel's shoulder.

"I know. There's nothing we can do about that now. Time is of the essence. We need to leave." She hopped from the bed. "Now."

But Angela refused to move, her hands balled up into fists. "No."

"Angela, we have this argument every time he tracks us down. I won't have it this time, now move."

"No." She repeated.

"Stop acting so childish!"

"_NO!_" She threw back the covers and stood in front of Grendel defiantly. "I'm sick of this Grendel, and I know you are too. It ends."

"We cannot face him, not after he's summoned...that."

The Wizard perked up at the enigmatic protest. _"That"?_

"Grendel, we have to face it eventually, or else humanity will fall."

Now they had the Wizard's full attention, and stood up next to Angela. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the Ancient Ones. Inazin used to be a very nice guy and a good friend, until he opened up the _Necronomicon_, against my grandpa's wishes, and began to dabble into that kind of black magic."

"You're speaking of the Ancient Ones who were once believed to have created the world, aren't you?"

Grendel nodded. "Cthulu is the only one he's been able to successfully summon, and has hidden him all this time beneath the earth, waiting for the moment to show Angela and I the end of the world."

Wizard shuddered. The _Necronomicon_, an ancient and unholy book who promises its wielder a life of psychological misery and powerful otherworldly deities. Many have been hospitalized for life as they tried summoning something from this book, usually incorrectly, and resulted in the deterioration of their mental state almost instantly. He saw the connection between the "very nice guy and a good friend" and the man he first saw a few days ago on top of the Garmon upper mines. The book practically promises a state of psychological disarray, which no one could recover from, along with the fact that whatever is summoned from its pages cannot be put down, unlike many other subjects of necromancy.

"We have to fight Inazin head-on Grendel," Angela pounded a fist into her open palm, eyes locked in a determined and unbreakable stare. However, so were Grendel's.

"No, we don't, and if we keep running humanity will be safe. It would be reckless to try to fight him off; many people will likely die in the process _before _the world ends. It's for the greater good that we continue to move on."

"But don't you see Grendel? No matter where we go, no matter how well we conceal ourselves Inazin finds us again and again. Eventually there will be no where left to hide, and we will have no choice but to fight him."

"The world is vast. I'm positive we will find many more hiding places for eternity."

"I know you don't believe that." Still Grendel was unmoving. Angela was reaching her breaking point. "Fine. Run Grendel, keep running for the rest of your life, but I'm taking the chance." She marched over to her bookcase and pulled out a volume. The _Necronomicon_. "I for one will not give up, even if I must summon something from this to combat Cthulu."

Grendel hissed. "Don't be crazy Angela! You too will lose your mental stability, just like Inazin!"

The room sat in silence. Grendel's fur was on end, Angela's brow was furrowed, Vivi cowered under the bed quilt, and Wizard stood in shock. But he did admire Angela's determination, even if it was foolish. He made his way across the room to stand next to Angela, much to her surprise.

"I...won't let that happen." He finally said, his shoulders squared. Grendel's hair flattened, and Vivi poked her head from under her shelter.

"What are you saying?" Grendel crept forward, her eyes never leaving the Wizard's.

"I said I won't let that happen."

Angela's face was on fire as she look onto the Wizard with grateful and admiring eyes. "Wizard..."

"It's true, you two cannot run forever. Suppose Inazin gets tired of waiting...and releases Cthulu anyway, whether you're there to witness it or not. I would rather try than to sit back and look on helpless. It's better than nothing..."

"You're both out of your minds." She leapt onto an open windowsill. "You two can stay here and try to win in an unwinnable fight all you want. I won't take any part in it." She turned and fled through the open window. Angela darted to the sill and hung her head out, calling Grendel's name, but she was already out of sight.

"Grendel..." Tears began to spill from Angela's eyes. "I'll make you proud. I promise..."

Vivi on the other hand began to panic, and seemed to want out of this crazy mess as well. However, Angela and Wizard were the only two who could help her out of this frog's body, and if they did succeed in this crazy endeavor and the world was saved, what if she wandered too far away from them to use the potion on her? She wanted to, but decided to remain next to these asylum-qualified individuals.

"Thank you Wizard," she turned from the window once she regained her composure and smiled. "You don't have to do this, you know..."

"...I know. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. How about we visit the Harvest Goddess?"

"That sounds good, but we'll go tomorrow." He placed his hands on her shoulders and lead her back to bed. "Rest some more first..."

"But I've been resting for days!"

"Please?" He bent his eyebrows, frowning.

Something about him showing concern made Angela's heartache. She heaved a sigh. "Okay, but only if you'll stay here."

"I will..."

"For a few days?"

He blushed. "What...?"

"I may need you again, suppose I fall victim to Inazin's attack again?" She dramatically placed the back of her hand against her forehead, eyes closed. "Why, I'm just an innocent little necromancer who always succumbs to the vapors." She hoped against hope that this would make him smile. It didn't, but she could tell his disposition lighten.

"Fine." He pulled back the covers, like a gentleman holds a door open for a lady, and watched her snuggle into the sheets and pillows. He resumed his position by her bed, and dimmed the lights to almost complete darkness. She sought out his hand, and uncomfortably so he let her hold his. He remained silent, even when later in the night he could hear her audible sobs.


	14. Chapter 14

Once Angela seemed to calm down she slipped into a peaceful sleep. Seizing the opportunity, the Wizard gently placed Angela's hand on the bed and slipped out the front door with the _Necronomicon_ under one arm. He could tell from the feel of the night air that it was a little past two in the morning. Quickly he surveyed his surroundings and spotted a cluster of big, sturdy wooden crates. Lucky for him, Angela's home wasn't very tall, and it took the Wizard hardly any time to stack the crates on the side of the house, creating a makeshift staircase leading to the roof. Silently he ascended and glided across the shingles to the perfect spot to watch the stars and moon. He leaned back and cracked open the grimoire.

At first he flicked through most of the book; words like "Ninib", "Luggaldimmerankia", and "Mer Sidi" popped out at him as he scanned. One title did stick out to him: "II. The Abominations". The mere fact that there were creatures heinous enough to be grouped under this label made his stomach churn. He began to read. It spoke of "the terrible offspring of the Ancient Ones", and how they may only be called upon by a _priest_. Somehow he doubted Perry had the authority or the desire to raise any sort of hideous creatures bent on destruction. _A priest? What does that mean?_ A thin layer of perspiration developed on the surface of his skin as he read on.

He began to have doubts about Angela's plan the further he delved into the book. Sacrifices were to be made, rituals followed out perfectly, asking favors from such malevolent-sounding specters as Ninkharsag, the Queen of the Demons. Although the mention of calling forth an offspring of the Ancient Ones caused Cthulu to quiver in fear, which did seem appealing considering what Inazin had in store, an ominous warning caused him to have second thoughts: those not formerly initiated as priests who dare summon these (as the book put it) abominations will face dire consequences. The book offered no detailed explanation as to what these consequences were, but considering the stigma that followed this book around like a thunder cloud he felt he could safely assume nothing good would come from it.

_Inazin called forth Cthulu successfully...he must be a priest. And a powerful one at that if he's able to keep such a monstrosity hidden for so long..._

The Wizard sat the book next to his leg and stared listlessly into the stars. _The Ancient Ones..._ Through many magical circles many whispered, and only whispered, about these entities. In the past, when the Wizard had first heard the term "The Ancient Ones", mentioned in many folklore. He asked a well-versed magician for any information he may have on the subject. He, like so many others, took a quick glance around, and whispered to the Wizard of those who supposedly created the universe and its creatures, and who planned to destroy all that they made should their slumber be disturbed for any reason.

"Where do they sleep?" The Wizard had asked, trying to keep his voice hushed.

The magician looked uncertain, as if he did not know how to articulate a satisfactory answer without enduring some sort of punishment. Finally, he answered: "Beneath the ocean, under the earth, and among the stars."

* * *

"Grendel," little Angela groaned, her fever subsiding but still the effects of her illness lingered. She opened her eyes, but was all alone in the cave. In the distance, through the cave's mouth, atop a hill of sand stood a familiar figure: Grendel, having abandoned her recently adorned cat form and reverted back to her human-shaped one.

Grains of sand stirred in the wind and circled around her friend's body, her long auburn hair waving like a flag. She wore the trademark black cloak all three of Angela's grandfather's pupils wore, with her name spelled along the right sleeve in an ancient runic language. Grendel was unmoving, her eyes fixated on something that must have laid at the foot of the dune. Weakly, Angela crawled out of the cave and up the dune where Grendel stood. Sadly, she did not hear the seven-year-old approach, and as she tried to turn around and scoop the little girl up to hide from her the thing in the sand, she was too late. Angela's eyes saw what Grendel had been staring at, and her already pale skin grew even paler as she began to shriek with everything her still infected little lungs had.

* * *

"I see," muttered the Harvest Goddess, her head bent and her eyes closed as she lost herself in thought. Grendel, in turn, hung her own head.

"We had no intention of deliberately disobeying your wish for us not to go to the top of the Garmon Mines. We only went to look, no magic or summoning was involved," she paused, remembering Inazin. "Please, forgive us."

"All things considered, no harm was done. Angela just couldn't resist taking a peek at those ruins, could she?" The Goddess smiled kindly at the black cat.

"No, even more so when interrogating the villagers about the specifics concerning those ruins lead her nowhere," she shook her head, feeling a mixture of sadness and amusement. "But what troubles me the most is the audacity she had to even suggest using the _Necronomicon_ to defeat our old friend." A sense of bitterness began to return to Grendel.

The Goddess nodded. "What do you know about this young man?"

Grendel considered it. Did she ever really know anything about him, even back then? "He's a necromancer who dabbled with the archaic magic found in the _Necronomicon_, thus shattering his once stable psychological state. He summoned The Ancient One known as Cthulu and has hidden it somewhere until he finally decides to use its power to destroy the world. He seems fixated on showing Angela and I specifically Cthulu's destructive power."

"Why?" The Goddess inquired, her face troubled.

_That _was indeed the question. Grendel conjured up as many memories as she could from a time that seemed like a dream to her now. "I can only offer what little he mentioned before he was convinced to use the _Necronomicon_."

"'Convinced'? By whom?"

Grendel swallowed hard. While remembering those happy times in the cave were painful, the true fiend behind this whole mess with Inazin and Cthulu brought on an immense amount of misery. After all, she and Corona were to be married not long before Inazin took a turn for the worse. "A man named Corona. He was not a student of Angela's grandfather Simon; in fact, by all appearance, and from what he told us, he had no magical abilities at all..."

"But?" The Goddess prompted.

"He was a liar. He was just a liar..." That was as far as Grendel's heart would allow her to go, for now. The pain was clearly visible on her face, and the Goddess decided to drop that subject.

"I'm sorry," was all the Goddess could think to say before turning away from Grendel to concentrate on her magical waters and allow her visitor to grieve in (somewhat) privacy.

* * *

The intensity of the sunlight and the harsh heat radiating from the roof's surface pried the Wizard's eyes open. He blinked his eyes rapidly before he realized night somehow turned into day without his noticing. _How did I fall asleep?_ He groped around his legs, hoping to pick up the _Necronomicon_ and return it indoors. However, it seemed to have disappeared. Suddenly, a mushroom dropped down from the air and landed in front of his feet.

"Hey, sleepy head!" Came Angela's voice. The Wizard stood and walked to the roof's edge. She was standing near her turnip patch, which had grown in considerable size over the past few days, her arm full of brown mushrooms. Vivi sat apathetically at her feet.

"Angela..." He took a step and hopped down and landed with the grace of a professional gymnast. Angela was not impressed as she pulled back her right hand and socked him in the arm. To his surprise it hurt.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, rubbing his injury. Vivi was all too pleased by the display.

"Because when I woke up and you were nowhere to be seen I thought you dumped me. I come outside to see you snoozing and slobbering all over my roof." She dropped the mushrooms into her shipping bin.

"How could I have dumped you? I've never actually lifted you up before except when I brought you home the other day..."

"Oh ha ha, very fun-" she saw his face to see he was all business. She slapped her hand to her forehead. "I didn't mean you literally dumped me, I just thought you left for home."

"But I told you I wouldn't."

"People can change their minds."

"I'm not a person..."

That last comment left Angela speechless. The only logical reaction she could formulate was to reel back and slug him again in the same arm.

He rubbed his wounded limb more fervently. "Please don't do that."

"Then stop acting like a complete doofus!" She shouted. The Wizard recoiled, looking confused. Angela decided it best to elaborate. "You are a person. You feel emotions, when you're cut you bleed like everyone else. Sure, you may not age like a regular human, and you have mystical abilities, but people care about you! _That_ makes you a person." She shoved her rusty watering can into his arms.

"What's this for?"

"You're going to water my plants as punishment." She turned and opened her front door a crack; Vivi wiggled inside.

"Punishment for what?" He asked before she slammed the door shut.

"For making my hand hurt."

He looked down at the empty watering can. It seemed fair.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Well, we're getting pretty far into the story now, and I thought it would be wise to include a flash-back chapter, instead of little tidbits sprinkled here and there throughout the story. There will be more flash-back chapters in the future, so this is not the entirety of Angela's and Grendel's past. This takes place in the distant past, before everyone on Castanet was even born (except the magic user and the deities), in an undisclosed desert (I couldn't recall any deserts in any _Harvest Moon _game, so I just skipped over giving it a distinct location; Angela, Grendel, Inazin and Simon all lived in the desert on the outskirts of some sort of outpost located in the middle of nowhere).

* * *

"Now?" Asked Angela, her child legs dancing around the floor of the cave, looking impatient and excited.

"Not yet," soothed Grendel, keeping an eye on the hole in the ceiling of the cave. Her eyes, unlike those of humans, could detect the acute change in the phase of the moon without the use of a telescope or any other magnifying instrument. It was breezy in the desert that night, and as a faint wind circulated through the cramped cave Grendel pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

Simon, sitting out of the way and watching his young granddaughter's display, chuckled lightheartedly. Every quirk, inquiry, and action Angela did filled Simon's heart with the kind of affection a grandparent drowns in when in the presence of a beloved grandchild. "Careful my dear, you might trip on the hem of your cloak. _Again_."

Grendel smiled at that while Angela's cheeks reddened with indignity. "That's not funny! I could've broken my brain when I fell that time."

"You're right my dear, you're right. And we're certainly glad you did not." Simon held his large and muscled arms opens as Angela threw herself into her grandpa's embrace. Grendel continued to stare through the opening at the moon. _It's being awfully lazy tonight..._she mused.

"Now Angela, what do we do first after we've prepared the grave for a necromancy spell?" Quizzed Simon, looking Angela in the eyes with the utmost respect he would subject an adult to.

"First we drink the unfermented grape juice!" She declared triumphantly, holding her arms up in a victory pose.

"Correct!" Smiled her grandfather, poking her ribs and making the girl squeal with laughter. "And you remember your chants, right? You do not always want to depend on Grendel to remind you, do you?"

"No way," she shook her head fiercely, her short brown hair flying around her.

"Oh? Then why do you keep me around?" Asked Grendel, never taking her eyes off the floating white orb in the night sky. _Just a few more minutes_.

"Because I love you! And Grandpa! And Inazin!" She chirped before resting the side of her head against Simon's shoulder. "When _is _Inazin getting back?"

"He'll be home by the time you two return. You know it isn't always easy to find food in the desert." Simon replied, leaning his own head against Angela's. By this time, Grendel judged by the time the two made it to the animal's grave that Inazin had killed and buried a few weeks back the moon's face would be perfect. She began to gather their supplies before beckoning to Angela.

"C'mon, let's get going."

Angela hopped to her feet and made her way to the entrance of the cave. But instead of leaving, she turned to her grandfather. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

He waved them off. "I think I'll stay and wait for Inazin. Perhaps we'll even have dinner ready when you two return. Now, off with the both of you."

The girls turned and left, Angela waving goodbye.

* * *

Between thirty and forty-five minutes after Angela and Grendel left Inazin had returned with some kind of elk native to the land slumped over one should. The firelight from inside the cave danced off the walls and gave Inazin and his unfortunate victim an eerie glow.

"Goodness!" Simon quickly got to his feet to help the young man. "We'll eat like kings for a week!"

"I know, look at how enormous it is," Inazin said, reveling in his prize. "The girls will be surprised. I assume they left already?"

"Yes," the men flopped the dead animal next to the fire. Simon clapped Inazin on the back. "And yes, they will surely be impressed."

Inazin blushed. He, like Grendel and Angela, loved Simon very much. He always looked out for his pupils, not just for their magical abilities but also for their physical and personal well being. Although his magic surpassed all of theirs, Simon never made anyone feel beneath him, and was always modest and humbled when anyone would graciously comment on his miraculous abilities. The citizens of the nearby outpost despised Simon and his pupils for what they practiced, which was why Inazin was required to hunt for food, whether it be animal or edible vegetation, in addition to maintaining his training to become a full-fledged necromancer. Simon felt guilty for putting such a burden on one so young, but Inazin actually did not mind: he enjoyed playing both a magic-casting and mountain man role.

"Well, we should start cutting this beauty up. Would you mind burying anything that remains afterward? I feel Angela may want to practice her necromancy skills soon, and I believe she is growing tired of resurrecting the same rattlesnake you buried a while back over and over again." He smiled. His granddaughter's enthusiasm over becoming a necromancer over the past few months has been a little more than overwhelming for Simon and the others, but he was just glad she finally came around. At first she was so resistant to becoming one, and although Simon would have eventually given up on trying to convince his granddaughter, he believed seeing two people who sort of took her under their wing as an older brother and older sister helped bring her to their side. Simon only wanted a world where necromancy could be seen as a blessing and not an abomination, depending on the wielder's will.

"You got it Master." Inazin smiled. Simon bowed and began to hand him the knives designed for tearing through bone and flesh and sort out the pots and pans. He hoisted a large jug full of fresh water, to which Inazin quickly helped the old man with. They made a strange family, the four of them, but they were utterly and unquestionably happy in their little cave house.

* * *

"Big gulp, now," Grendel said, holding up the glass jar full of unfermented grape juice to Angela's lips as she drank. When she had her full, the girl pulled it away and Angela's face grimaced.

"Yuck..." she muttered, sticking her tongue out several times in an effort to extinguish the distinct taste that comes with consuming the juice.

"You'll get use to it." She handed the little girl a wooden staff. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Angela nearly shouted before taking position. She held the staff out, closed her eyes, and waited for Grendel to give her the word to proceed. When she did, Angela chanted as fast as she could, the juice churning in her stomach. A light formed around the barely visible diagram sketched into the dirt and shot a pillar of light to the moon. A rush of wind picked up and swirled around Angela as a small slithery form slowly rose from the diagram. Grendel sighed. _Angela will be disappointed..._

"Oh no!" Cried Angela, stomping her feet into the ground once the ritual had been perform. Unfortunately, the snake came out...not right. At all. Half of its body was detached; both parts did wiggle with some sort of life, which was a plus from the result last time when the snake had emerged severed in four places and unmoving.

"Don't be upset Angela," Grendel came up behind the little girl and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Believe it or not you're getting better."

"Not good enough." Angela shook her head, and with a sigh the two girls doused the snake in the salts and left for home. As usual, Angela was wiped out from the necromancy, and in addition to carrying the jug of juice, the vile of salt, and the staff, she had to cradle Angela in her arms all the way home.

* * *

"Welcome home Mama," chided Inazin playfully as Grendel made her way into the cave, a sleeping Angela in tow.

"Yeah yeah. Just give me a hand with these would you?" The smell of cooking meat infiltrated her nostrils. "Smells good."

"Elk. Can you believe I snagged one? How did it go?" He took the staff, salt and juice from Grendel and sat them in their usual spot. Grendel sighed.

"Better than last time. Actually, a _lot _better since last time, but you know how Angela is: go big or go home. Try not to mention it." She glanced over at Simon who heard every word. Though they were pleased to hear that Angela was getting better, they nodded in agreement not to make a fuss over the night's session.

"She'll need a day or two to rest. Tomorrow you and I will go out to practice Inazin, and then the next night you and I Grendel." His students nodded as they gently woke Angela up for dinner.

She groaned and rubbed her eyes, but woke instantly when the flavors of tonight's meal filled her nose. Simon may not have much to work with when it comes to culinary ingredients, but he always knew how to harvest what grew in the desert and combine it with anything to make a delicious meal. Around the campfire the four sat, bowls and utensils in hand as they happily talked and ate the elk stew, like a normal family.

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, doesn't give you much information about the current events and situations in the story, but I wanted my readers to get a feel for what life was like for Angela and Grendel before the present day. Living in a cave in the desert doesn't sound like much fun, especially when one of your roommates goes crazy with magical power, so I wanted to illustrate that the four of them made the best of their situation, and truly cared for one another. The next flash-back chapter won't be anytime really soon, but it will delve further into how Angela, Grendel, and Inazin became who they are today, and the one after that will reveal more details, and so on. Thanks for the reviews and your patience!


	16. Chapter 16

Both wizard and farmer stared at one another, off and on, throughout lunch. Anxiety was painted across each face, but for different reasons: the Wizard was considering how to approach Angela about the missing _Necronomicon_. The book itself was a gorgeous volume bound in green leather and gold-rimmed pages, giving the impression that the contents inside were nothing abhorrent or apocalyptical. Angela, on the other hand, while the Wizard was watering her plants, noticed on her calendar that today was Spring 14th: the annual Flower Festival, in which girls and boys, men and women, who were going steady went out during the late evening to the church square to watch the blossoming trees. Angela, now that she lost her perpetual third wheel, and the fact that Vivi was usually out like a light immediately after dessert, was contemplating on how to ask the Wizard to the festival. The lunch went on in uncomfortable silence, Vivi occasionally breaking the silence as she attempted to eat her salad with her large and clumsy frog tongue.

Finally, the Wizard spoke up as Angela got up to clear the table. "I'm sorry..." he blurted out quietly.

"Oh, are you still going on about this morning? You did your time, now relax. You know, we still need to find out which Ancient One to summon. I was thinking Shub-Niggurath..."

"No, Angela, I..."

She turned to meet his eyes. _Oh my gosh, is he going to..._

"I lost the _Necronomicon_." He spat out quickly. The Wizard hated confrontation, and always lived a life of pleasing others as quickly as possible (though rare it may be) so that he could return to his hermit life. Angela only stared, looking utterly disappointed. "I'm sorry..."

_Damn! _She thought. _I was definitely thinking of something else..._ "Don't worry about." She quickly scrambled to resume her normal bubbly self. "Hey, don't feel bad. I know I was all for using it to defeat Inazin, but..." she trailed off. That was her only plan of attack against her childhood friend. If not the _Necronomicon_, then what could possibly be used to take down a giant man covered in fishy scales with the head of a octopus? A harpoon the size of Castanet? A pressure began to build up around her, a force squeezed her lungs. _Am I having a panic attack?_ She turned back to the sink where she left the lunch dishes, filling the basin full of soapy water. Seeing the Harvest Goddess now became a matter of top priority.

"Angela, do you think Inazin took it?"

She shrugged, keeping her back to him. It was possible: after all, that was who she got the book from. Or maybe Corona? Those two were likely still in cahoots, although he made no appearance at the Garmon Mines. It was originally his book before it was Inazin's. "It's possible, I guess. How did you lose it in the first place?"

The Wizard regaled her with the whole story of sneaking out to look through the grimoire atop the roof under the night sky when he seemed to fall asleep. When he awoke the next day, the book was gone.

"And you didn't hear or see anything?"

"No, nothing..." He searched and searched his memories, but nothing came to mind. "No, it was a very calm and peaceful night." He stood from his chair. "I think I need to return home."

Angela was startled, but the Wizard was prepared. "Only for a few hours. I may be able to pick up the book's whereabouts on my crystal ball."

"Or better yet, you could bring it here."

The Wizard looked puzzled. "Why?"

"Because you've gotten us into a real pickle here. Suppose Inazin _did _take the book, and decides to awake another Ancient One? Perhaps a lesser one, there are those in the book too. We need to come up with another plan of attack here now that the only idea we could come up with to combat Cthulu has now gone AWOL." Her shoulders slumped. The more she thought about the missing book, the lower her spirits dropped. That is, until an idea popped in her head, and she'd rather the Wizard not be around to get in her way.

"I suppose I could do that. And I need a few other things as well..." He turned to leave, opening the door. He hesitated with one foot in the house and one outside. "Just be careful while I'm gone. Don't let anyone in, and if...someone comes by threatening you, take Vivi and run to the Goddess. I'll hurry back." He rushed out the door. Angela hurried over to the window to watch him leave, but he was already gone.

A breeze shook the house, causing Angela to jump. Vivi gave her an incredulous look: _What's got you so worked up?_ When the wind calmed and Angela convinced herself it was just one of nature's anomalies, another breeze shook the house even harder. Her old wooden furniture rumbled against the force, and her dishes and silverware clinked together. Angela held herself, rubbing her upper arms, her eyes darting all over the house, jumping every time the light changed and the shadows shifted. Despite herself, Vivi felt a little sorry for the farmer, and, abandoning any hope of eating her entire salad, hopped off the table and sat next to where Angela had folded into herself. She hated being alone, and what's more she hated to be hunted _while_ alone. But the attempt at empathy from the pink frog filled Angela with a faint wave of hope, and she scooped the little creature up and held her close.

"I always had someone around," she consoled to Vivi. "All my life, I always had someone around, whether it was for guidance, companionship, or to help me against threatening magical forces. Never was I actually alone for more than an hour my _whole _life Vivi. If no one else, Grendel was always by my side, and if she refused to turn back into a human she walked me through what I needed to do to defend myself with my limited magical abilities. Now..." She took another precautionary glance over her shoulder, only seeing wall behind her. "Now, I'm alone. I trust the Wizard will come back, but who knows when?"

Vivi, unable to speak as a frog, only shrugged her small froggy shoulders. Angela suddenly felt very selfish, looking down at Vivi's sad state of body. At least Angela could do something: if she wasn't around, Vivi would have to fend for herself. Another wave of hair blew by, but Angela furrowed her brow and stood up, keeping Vivi in her hands. Her face was full of determination, and her eyes were challenging. Maybe it was just the weather, maybe it was Inazin playing games with her head. Either way, it didn't matter: like it or not, for the time being she was alone and it was high time Angela stopped pitying herself and do something productive. So the _Necronomicon_ was gone, so what? She had something that could be just as useful up her sleeve: A deceased grandfather and enough necromancy supplies to reanimate an entire army. She sat Vivi on her safe haven of pillows, and went straight to work. Not before placing a slice of lemon meringue pie she got from the Brass Bar earlier in the day. Vivi looked up at her.

"For listening," Angela smiled. Vivi, never needing social etiquette when it came to sweets, dropped her face into the pie and began swallowing chunks like a shark engulfing a school of fish.

* * *

On his way out, the Wizard made sure to swipe one of Angela's crate he used the night before to pile supplies in it. He felt slightly winded after using a transportation spell (he never used them enough to where when the time came he could pull one off with aplomb), but he set to work, tossing books, potions, powders, relics and more into the crate. As for his prized possession-his crystal ball, next to his telescope in his heart-he had a special case to carry that in with plenty of padding. Unfortunately, the Wizard never really learned how to transport himself and objects to a location at one time, so he knew to only take what was absolutely necessary. When he felt the crate was full to satisfaction, he pulled a polished wooden case from a high shelf over his bed and clicked the locks open, revealing the insides lined with down and cloth to cushion the crystal ball. He turned back around to pick up the ball when it felt as if his lungs were emptied entirely of oxygen. An ominous black glow had surrounded his master's old crystal ball; beneath the glass clouds of blood red raged, as if a storm were brewing. The Wizard had never seen anything like it happen to the ball, not even when he was studying under his master so many centuries ago. Slowly, he approached the small table hold the ball, afraid something might jolt from it and attack him. It wasn't such a stretch of the imagination: after all, in a world where necromancers summoned demons bent on total annihilation, why couldn't a bolt of magical lightning erupt from his crystal ball and strike him? _Could one of those lesser creatures Angela mentioned hide inside a crystal ball...? _He wondered, never taking his eyes away from the orb.

As he got ever so closer, a voice, low and commanding, came from the crystal ball. _A little closer, _it said. The Wizard jumped a little further back, holding up his right forearm like a shield.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

_You'll know soon enough. I'm a friend, nonetheless._

"Why should I believe you?"

_You shouldn't, all things considered. But I am. _

He was still weary of this new inhabitant who decided to take unwelcomed residence in his beloved crystal ball. "Then...what do you want?"

_Only to make myself known. I'm grateful that you'll no longer be using my abilities to fulfill the lustful desires of this island's youth culture, I must admit. _The voice's hint of humor was not lost on the Wizard, but did little to soothe his precautionary mood.

"You've made yourself known. Now what?" The Wizard began to inch his way back over to the ball, but even slower than before.

_Not much. Except the need for the _Necronomicon _is unnecessary._

Perplexed, the Wizard decided this voice was no immediate threat, and pursued his now piqued curiosity. "If not the _Necronomicon_, then what? What are Angela and I to do to stop Inazin and Cthulu?"

_It's not you or Angela who will stop Inazin and his gang._

"'His gang'? What do you mean? And who else will stop the oncoming calamity?" The Wizard was feeling annoyed now, and the voice choosing to speak in riddles was not helping.

_There is more than one behind the summoning and commanding of Cthulu. And while you two will not play a direct hand in saving humanity, you two will prepare the one who will. In fact,_ only _you and Angela can prepare the savior of all._

* * *

Before her, wrapped in a familiar column of light, emerging from a drawn circle of symbols and runes, knelt an aging man with a bald head but a full beard and mustache, the former of which reached to his chest. His eyes were missing from their sockets, but Angela knew every wrinkled, the characteristic designs on his cloak, and that snow white beard from anywhere.

"Grandpa?" She asked in a small voice. Vivi, having finished her pie long before Angela resurrected her grandfather, had sought shelter from the ruckus and the scary looking figure underneath the bedding. A small lump in the center of the blankets and sheets trembled.

The old man heard her, and looked Angela in the face with his unseeing eyes. "Angela...how long has it been?" His voice was old and dry, like the desert sands that they once lived in.

Angela began to choke up a little, and it took her a minute to answer. "Well over fifty years Grandpa."

"Where have you been, my dear?"

It hurt to hear him ask the question. When the dead is brought back through necromancy, they have absolutely no concept of their present state. Knowing his was dead for half a century and he not even know it felt like Angela was caring for an aging relative who was well in the grips of dementia. There was no point in trying to explain to the dead that that was in fact what they were; a necromancer and anyone else present during the ceremony and who wish to communicate with the dead had to simply play along. "Around. Grendel and I have been to many, many places." She looked down at her hands as they rested against her cloaked thighs. To her left sat the vials of unfermented grape juice and salt, to her right her staff and chalk. "I'm glad you recognized me Grandpa. Happy, in fact. I was a very little girl when you...I mean, when we last saw one another."

"Of course I recognized you. You're the spitting image of not your father or your mother, but of both. A perfect harmony of their most striking physical characteristics, like your father's eyes and your mother's small figure."

She blushed at that last observation. _Jeez, leave it to a grandparent to point out when their little grandbabies finally become adults._ "Grandpa, I have a question."

He chuckled. "You always did. Go ahead."

"Well, you see, the world is in trouble, and Grendel, the Wizard-a friend of mine whom I just recently met-and I do not know what to do. Someone...we don't know who, but _someone_ summoned Cthulu through the _Necronomicon_. We don't know how to stop it. If you would close your eyes-" it gave Angela chills to say that to someone so clearly missing that important piece of anatomy, "-and concentrate, do you think you'd know what we should do?"

Simon was still a moment, looking past Angela at nothing in particular: Angela knew this to be one of her grandfather's quirks when he was considering an idea or issue. Finally, he bent his head and indeed closed his empty eye sockets and was even more still than before for some time. Angela began to grow a little worried, wondering if she had done something wrong, when his head suddenly lifted. With a smile, he answered her.

"You need to do nothing."

"What? Grandpa, have you lost your marbles?"

He laughed. "No, they're lying around here somewhere." That was his trademark answer whenever she asked him that, for as long as she could remember. "Trust in me, my dear. Have faith." He scanned his granddaughter from head to toe, stopping momentarily at her abdomen, then coming to a rest at her eyes. "Have faith. I love you very much, Angela."

She smiled, though his answer gave her no comfort, to hear him say that again after so long lifted her beyond the clouds. "I love you too, Grandpa." Slowly, his form began to melt. It would seem the unseen and unheard governors of the spiritual world felt she had gotten the answer to the question behind her summoning Simon, and they were now dismissing him back to the afterlife. When he was almost out of sight, she thought she heard him utter once more "Have faith", but she couldn't be sure if it actually happened or if it was her imagination. She threw off her cloak, gathered up and put away her supplies, and cleaned the chalk lines up, and the house looked as if nothing ever happened. Except for Vivi's still nervous whimpers. Angela picked up the pendant given to her by her grandfather, put it in her bedside table's drawer, and comforted the shocked Vivi.


	17. Chapter 17

He threw her door open, rushing in: she was right there to meet him. At the same time, both said, "I need to talk to you."

Both recoiled at the strange coincidence. "You do?" Angela asked, caught off guard.

"I do..." he replied, adamant in being first. Angela waved her hand for him to continue. "I had a strange visitor at the house earlier..."

"Inazin?" Cried Angela, bringing her hand to her mouth and quickly inspecting the Wizard's body for any sign of injury.

He shook his head. "No...I don't know who it was."

"Well, what did this person look like?"

He placed his crystal ball case on the table and lifted the orb to her face. "This."

She raised her eyebrows, flicking glances from the ball back to the Wizard. "Huh? Are you _not _suppose to sleep at night or something? Does it bring on some kind of hallucination?"

"Angela, listen to me," his voice was full of a panic unbecoming of the Wizard's aloof and cool nature. Angela decided he was serious, and looked him right in the eye. "The voice that radiated from the crystal ball told me not his name, but that we don't need the _Necronomicon_. We're not even the ones who will stop Inazin." The Wizard thought she was unbelieving again from the look on her face, until she told him _her _bit of news.

"I did a little necromancy while you were out. I was able to...bring my grandfather back." It was the Wizard's turn to look at her questioningly. She motioned to the bed where Vivi gave him a subtle nod. Surprised, he gave Angela his full attention. "He also said we weren't going to defeat Inazin and Cthulu. Well, technically he said we had to do 'nothing', just...nothing."

"I see. My visitor was only a little bit more helpful. He told me you and I were to 'prepared' the one to defeat them. He did not elaborate."

"Great," mumbled Angela, throwing her arms up. "So what are we suppose to do?"

He shook his head again. "I don't know..."

"You think maybe it's Grendel whose suppose to defeat them?"

"I haven't a clue. How did Inazin become a priest?" Asked the Wizard rather abruptly. Angela was taken aback, but knew he would eventually ask if he read through even a portion of the _Necronomicon_.

"It was Grendel's fiancée who got into Inazin's ear. Like both she and I said in the past, he use to be very kind and cheerful. My grandpa wanted the world to see that necromancy could be used for good, and wanted all three of us-Grendel, Inazin and I-to go out into the world and find ways to do just that. Grendel and I weren't just running from Inazin, we were trying to fulfill that wish for so many years. Then we heard about Castanet..." Angela blushed. "Oh jeez, I'm rambling about something else! Anyway, before I was old enough to actually go out and try to change the world, Grendel met and fell in love with a man named Corona. He was never successful using the _Necronomicon_, and eventually convinced Inazin that both necromancy and the spells in that book were a lot alike, and that learning to summon something may very well bring all of us closer to my grandpa's ultimate goal."

The Wizard stepped in. "He believed Corona? Hadn't he even read the _Necronomicon_?"

Angela sighed, remembering. "No. Inazin was trusting to a fault, and Corona preyed upon that."

"Are they still traveling or in contact with one another?"

Angela shrugged. "I couldn't say. The last time either Grendel or I saw Corona was about ten years ago. He was able to cast a tracking spell on Grendel so no matter where she ran he would find her. However," she stopped, smirked in a fit of pride, "Grendel pulled a fast one on him. He could only track her when she was in her _human_ form. That's why she stays a cat all the time."

It made perfect sense to the Wizard. "Inazin was made a priest by Corona?"

"_That _I'm not sure of. Those ceremonies are usually held in secrecy. I guess it's not out of the question, if nothing else then Corona lead Inazin to the proper authorities who inaugurated him."

So many secrets were involved in this whole mess; even the Ancient Ones themselves were an enigma wrapped up in a mystery. Looking back, the Wizard began to wonder how much anyone really knew of the Ancient Ones, or even if their true intentions were to destroy the world. It's not as if anyone had ever actually interviewed them. Perhaps their formed frightened many that they were simply _perceived_ as a threat. People would rather fear what they cannot fathom than to embrace it, and so it wasn't such a stretch of the imagination that once someone of high power declared these monsters were a threat the world took that notion and ran with it. _Human hearts I will never understand_.

"Feel like taking a walk?" Asked Angela, ever so slyly. The Wizard was forced away from his thoughts and thrown back into the here and now. He blinked.

"A walk...?"

"Yeah, we're in over our heads here, and the only two olive branches extended to us need to be interpreted. I was thinking we could finally consult the Harvest Goddess like we planned to last night. What do you say?"

"I say that makes a lot of sense. Let's go."

* * *

"Harvest Goddess," inquired Grendel, slowly emerging from a midday snooze in the sun, "I have a question."

"I'm sure I have the answer." The deity smiled.

"You were asking a lot about Inazin yesterday, and I was curious as to why. I know he's an imminent threat to Castanet, and the whole world for that matter, but he's likely still on the island somewhere. Don't you know everything about everyone once they step foot on Castanet?"

The Goddess flustered and her demeanor became recumbent. "Oh my, I've been found out. Well, Grendel, it's true the magical waters help me when someone first enters the island, but it's vague: what their name is, where they are from, how old they are. They do not wield what that person's intentions are."

"Then how did you know about mine and Angela's intentions?"

"Give me a little credit Grendel. I may not be as all powerful as the Harvest King, but I do have a trick or two up my sleeve. I'm psychic, but my abilities only reach so far as my spring: when someone comes here, _then _all their intricate information floods my mind, and that's how I knew about you and Angela. Although you're a little more difficult to read than Angela."

Grendel felt honored, though strange as it may be. "I am? Even for a Goddess?"

"Yes. If I may, I do not think you were cut out for necromancy."

Grendel remained silent, stunned by the Goddess' blunt opinion. She continued: "No, while you have obviously mastered the craft, I find your abilities to be better suited for defensive magic, such as barriers, changing one's form to assist in the situation, walls around your mind, and the like. Have you ever experimented with anything like that, other than your feline transformation?"

"No, not really. Turning myself into a cat was more of a survival tactic than one I thought I'd try out like foreign food. In fact, I had no idea I had some kind of barrier around my mind to render it unable to read with precision."

"Then it would seem that you are already proficient in defensive magic, but now need to master it as well as you did with necromancy. Here," she lifted her hand, and in front of Grendel appeared an old red leather-bound book. "I sense you'll not be returning to Angela anytime soon, so perhaps you can study in the mean time. You should make yourself scarce though, I know she and the Wizard are approaching soon."

"Thank you," Grendel bowed. The Goddess had a point: Grendel was still peeved at Angela, and it took a long, long time for Grendel to let go of a grudge of any size. She might as well be productive with her time. Besides, this type of magic may prove useful in what she suspected would be an upcoming fight for humanity. But she had one last question. "Why are they coming?"

"I cannot say for sure," she shot the cat a look that said _We just discussed the limits of my powers_, and Grendel thought it better to leave it at that. The Harvest Goddess would surely take good care of Angela. The Goddess chanted for a few seconds, and Grendel and the book were transported to a secluded part of the island where she could study in peace.

* * *

The journey to the Goddess' spring had been much smoother this time around. Angela seemed to take on a certain sense of independence since Grendel's departure, and the Wizard wondered what happened in that time that he returned to his house that changed her so. Either way, he felt a pang of pride for his new companion: though they've only known each other for a couple of weeks, he had taken a liken to Angela, almost bordering on protectiveness, as if she were in possession of something very important that he needed to give his life for to protect if need be. It was confusing, and it was gratifying: his stomach was full of butterflies, and his heart was fluttering.

"Almost there." Angela pointed to a thicket of tall grass and shrubbery beside Barbara's General Store. Though he did care for the girl, she did things that did irk him, like pointing out the obvious: he lived on Castanet much longer than Angela, and therefore clearly knew where the spring was. He took a deep breath: _I'm just under stress, just like Angela. It does no good to get upset..._

"Right," he nodded, following obediently behind her. Angela thought back to when she and Grendel first came here, and her heart ached. But now was not the time for pity: New Angela, new attitude. She knew Grendel was more than capable of taking care of herself, and that eventually she would come home once her temper wore off. Best to just leave her be for now and let her sort out her emotions; trying to track her down and then prying into her personal turmoil would not end well. A few minutes later they stood before the Goddess, she looking her usual effervescent self despite the state of her health.

"Angela, Wizard, welcome. I see you've had a few moments of enlightenment as to how to handle this Cthulu situation."

Both looked worn out but relieved that the Goddess was clearly up to speed. "Yeah," Angela confirmed. "Really...what do we do?"

"What to do, what to do," the Goddess mused. She cupped her chin in her hand and appeared to be in a state of deep thought, though the whole scene looked utterly theatrical. The Wizard seemed unfazed; Angela wasn't falling for it. The Goddess knew exactly what they needed to do, and if she decided to speak in rhetoric's like the previous two spiritual visitors Angela was going to literally explode. It was no longer an issue of saving one island of people, but the whole world. The time were games had to be over. As if sensing Angela's stance, the Goddess changed into a more serious deity. "You two need to conceive," she said matter-of-factly, looking both square in the eyes. Above all else, more than anything each person had encountered during the past twenty-four hours (give or take), this was certainly the most shocking. The Wizard looked like he might vomit, Angela was pale.

"I beg your pardon?" The Wizard choked out.

"You two," she pointed at both of them, "need to come together and create a child."

"Whuh...what? Why? What's a little baby going to do for us?"

"A lot. Save the world, if you want the full glory of it. Your child, with your magical backgrounds combined, will be born with the exact type of magic to diffuse Cthulu."

"But it'll just be a baby. How can a baby possibly cast a spell?" Angela was feeling annoyed; she thought, at some level, that the Goddess was still toying with them.

"There are some who exuberate magical energy which can impact their surroundings in either a positive or negative way. I, for one, am one of those people. By just being alive and present, the earth becomes fertile, the vegetation grows, the water is clean and life thrives. Of course, with my tree depicting my health status, I am unable to grant all those gifts until my health is restored. But since I'm still alive, the land is still inhabitable, although not with the same fervor as when I was healthy. Your baby will be the antidote. Once he or she is born, you two will be able to deter Cthulu and Inazin. But only after the baby is born." She folded her arms. "Understand?"

"How...how Angela have a baby in time to defeat them. It takes quite some time to carry a baby to full term, what if Inazin decides to strike before the baby is born?" Asked the Wizard, still reeling from the new set of instructions.

"Leave that to me. I've been storing some energy in case of any kind of emergency. If you do make good on your promise Angela, then I will help you with your predicament. Now," she turned from the two, still putting on the airs of drama now that the big news has finally been released, "How about that Flower Festival tonight? I can tell neither of you have gotten close romantically, so maybe a change of scenery and a break from these pressing magical matters might just set the mood." She turned back around and winked at Angela. "How about a date you two?"

* * *

**A/N: **Well, wasn't that fun? I always hate those chapters full of nitty-gritty information in any story, but I now realize that sometimes they're necessary. Now that _that _is out of the way, we can finally start to have some AngelaxWizard fun! Thanks for your patience, and stick around for a very sudden change in this relationship.


	18. Chapter 18

Her fork spun around, the setting sunlight blinking off the handle with every rotation. Dinner had just been polished off, and what remained between the Wizard and Angela was an awkward silence. Vivi was completely unaware of the situation as she helped herself to her second helping of lemon meringue pie.

"Sooo..." Angela trailed off, still twirling the used utensil on the table top.

"Yes..." the Wizard felt obligated to respond, but with what he did not know. The time was 5:30 in the evening when both parties stood up and carried their dishes to the sink.

She decided to just jump right into it. "How are we going to do this?"

The Wizard slumped, watching the sink fill with water, Angela pouring soap into the liquid, white bubbles foaming up. His silence spoke louder than any words.

"Well, we can't do anything here," she glanced over her shoulder at the wiggling pile of lemon and whipped cream that was Vivi.

"Yes, that would be detrimental," the Wizard mumbled, drying the dishes after Angela washed them.

"There's the Inn," she suggested.

"I don't know..."

"Where else could we go? Except outside, and people are always coming and going in front of my farm." Sometimes it didn't pay to live at the heart of a community's main roadway.

"I suppose we have no choice then." Being the taller of the two, the Wizard put the clean dishes away in the cabinets. Angela stood back and watched.

_Look at us, we're already playing house._ "Why don't you move in?"

The room became eerily silent: Vivi's attention was torn free from her dessert and she looked at the two at the counter. The Wizard seemed unfazed by the suggestion; he had already contemplated just that.

"That's probably wise. After all, we're soon going to become parents."

Now Vivi's jaw made direct contact with the table's surface in a state of utter shock. Not one of them had mentioned a word of their discussion with the Goddess until now, and Vivi wondered if her wayward spell was now altering her hearing.

"We really need to Dale and Luke out here to fix the place up. Maybe add a room," she pointed to the wall that her bed was pressed against.

"Yes, a nursery..." Both, in spite of the surprising turn of events, smiled warmly at the sound of making a nursery.

"So this is really happening?" Angela tried to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Yes, it is..." the Wizard turned away, flustered. A baby. A _baby _baby. He never thought he'd see the day. He would soon become the head of a family. But was this a really joyous occasion or just their obligation to protect the greater good? Would they be happy, or would they feel unwillingly stuck together from creating a life? What's more, did they really love one another?

"Let's get the house ready first before we..." he didn't need to finish. She nodded, looking relieved.

"I'll call Dale tomorrow," she said, picking up a towel and cleaning Vivi and her mess up. "You can take some more crates and gather up your things. And let me know if you need any help, too."

"Thank you. I think I'll step out for some fresh air..." He ducked through the front door, hungrily drinking up the evening air through his nose, his eyes closing. From inside he could hear Angela's muffled voice catching Vivi up, to which the frog would croak in protest.

He smiled. Vivi would always be Vivi: of this he was certain. They've known one another for as long as he's lived on Castanet; she had lived there before his moving in. Since then, one-hundred and fifty years have gone by, and both had seen the island evolve into a rural metropolis. They've seen families grow, businesses prosper, and tragedies that threatened to destroy the community; above all, they witnessed the strength to soldier on from a small populous of people. Through thick and thin, high and low, Vivi, his involuntary rival, remained headstrong with her pursuits to outdo the Wizard. Having herself a baby in her current state was impossible, and his having the upper hand irked her something fierce. It was nice to know some things never changed.

He opened his eyes and took in Angela's acreage. It was a very nice piece of land, its greenery lush in light of the current circumstances. He then saw children running to and fro, playing tag and hide-and-seek, catching crawfish in the nearby creek, climbing trees, and laughing all the way. When he blinked they were gone, and the land looked lonely and sad. He sighed as the door creaked open then shut behind him.

He turned around and saw Angela, dressed in a pink, springtime dressed, adorned with white gloves and brown boots that reached just below her knees. Around her neck hung an amethyst pendent. She beamed at him. "Ready?"

He looked confused. "Ready for what?"

"For our date! You've been out here a while. The Flower Festival starts soon."

He shook the cobwebs from his mind. He was about to turn and walk when he decided to take a different approach to the future mother of his children: he offered her his arm.

Surprised, she giggled light-heartedly and gratefully took his offer. They walked down the path towards town, the perfect image of young romance.

* * *

Everyone stared as they made their way to the church square: the reclusive wizard and the new struggling farmer, arm in arm, chit-chatting (Angela, like always, doing most of the talking). Whispers erupted all around them, the commotion carrying all the subtly of a hurricane.

The Wizard felt suddenly ashamed; ashamed for dragging Angela into his social stigma, ashamed of invading a once-happy gathering with his peculiarities, ashamed of himself. Angela appeared aware of the situation, and he could feel her grip on his forearm harden in frustration.

"What?" Her voice reverberated off the wall of people and trees. "Is something the matter?"

Panting, Mayor Hamilton pushed his way through the crowd and greeted the couple with overwhelming hospitality in an effort of damage control. "Nothing at all! Welcome you two," he turned and handed them each a rice cocktail. The crowd began to disperse and return to their previous engagements. Angela and the Wizard wandered under a secluded cherry blossom tree and made themselves comfortable.

"You didn't have to say anything earlier. I'm use to it..." he stared down into the alcoholic liquid in his plastic cup. A number of local bachelors had gone to his home looking for romantic insight into Angela's heart not long after she moved to Castanet. She, though strange, was clearly more socially accepted in the small community than he. But she waved him off, downing most of her drink.

"It's rude what they did. Besides, we have a right to be here." A petal landed in her cup and she grimaced.

"What's wrong?"

"These trees. Don't get me wrong, they're pretty and all, but their petals are troublesome."

"Would you like mine?" He offered her his cup; he did not partake in alcohol.

"Nah, I'm good," she downed the rest of it and sat the cup down on the concrete ground, looking up through the pink branches.

"Then...what do you like?" He placed his cup down, wondering if it, too, would disappear like the _Necronomicon_.

"What do you mean?" She swung her head towards him.

"Trees. What kind of trees do you like?"

"Lemon trees! Hayden was telling me once how no one could grow lemon trees on this island, even before the Harvest Goddess' health went south. Not even on Toucan Island. That's why their lemon dishes, like that pie I bought, are so pricey. Kind of a bummer for me."

"I see."

"What about you?"

"I suppose coffee trees, although I never really thought about it before."

"Really?" She made a face.

"Yes, why?"

"I hate coffee, it's gross." She stuck her tongue out.

"Yes, it is quite bitter."

"So why do you drink it?"

"To keep me awake. I enjoy stargazing at night, it helps me unwind."

Angela felt a deep pang of guilt. The Wizard would soon move out of his home and into hers, and she had no room for the huge piece of machinery. She had no doubt he would keep his property in town, along with the telescope, but would no longer have the convenience to stare at the cosmos as he pleased.

The Wizard noticed the shift in Angela's mood, and was concerned. He was about to reach out and touch her, to ask if she was all right, when a clamor surfaced amongst the festival goers. They looked up, and saw a comet a lazy ascent across the black sky.

"Look!" Angela pointed, brightening up. "Let's make a wish!"

"Comets don't-" But he was too late. She already bent her head and cupped her hands together in prayer. The Wizard glanced around and noticed no one else was doing the same, their eyes admiring the comet's sparkle as it disappeared. He decided no harm would be done, and made his own wish, wondering what Angela had asked the heavenly bodies for.

* * *

"You know," she said, hanging on his arm as he lead them home. "Since we're going to have a baby soon, how about we get on a first-name basis?"

"I always call you 'Angela'."

She elbowed him. "You know what I mean!"

"It's Gale," the word sounded strange coming out of his mouth after so long since he used it.

"Gale..." They stopped at the front door. "I like it."

"I'm happy," he said, smiling down at her. They both felt the electric charge of attraction jolt through their bodies, the late-night grasshoppers chirping in the background. Angela didn't need anyone to tell her what was coming next, and she closed her eyes and lifted her head up.

Gale began to panic a little, not one to find himself in this situation often. Awkward, he held her small shoulders and tried to tilt his head to the left, but that didn't feel right, so he tilted it the other way and pressed their lips together.

Angela stood on her toes, trying to get the most from their first kiss. Her hands found their way to his chest and gripped onto his shirt. Gale was beginning to enter the throes of passion, letting his hands fall to her lower back when a sound of something smacking the window from the inside interrupted their lip-lock. They looked over and saw a fleshy pink tongue slowly peel off the glass, leaving a film of saliva in its wake. Vivi.

"Yeah...we're _not _going to be able to make a baby here." They laughed and entered the house.

* * *

Vivi was resting peacefully on Angela's stomach when she woke the next morning. Gale was nowhere in sight, but a small sticky note was stuck to her bedside table. She picked it up and read.

_"Went to gather lumber. Will return soon._

_-Gale"_

Angela had hoped he would have signed off with "love", but knew the Wizard was inexperienced with romance, and she was content to wait until he finally said those three special words.

Lovingly she put Vivi on her pillows and rolled out of bed, stretching. Something out the window caught her eye, something dark and shadowy, blocking the usually ray of sunlight that filtered through every morning. She looked through the glass from where she stood next to her bed before rushing to the window and throwing it open, hanging her head out to get a clearer look. After a moment she rested her chin on her hand, amused.

All around her crop patch and house, in the areas of clear land stood an orchard of lemon trees full of fruit ripe for the picking.

_Gale..._she smiled.


End file.
